Katniss Everdeen, MD
by atresia
Summary: Follow Katniss Everdeen as she navigates her intern year at Panem Memorial with her med school crush Peeta Mellark, her high school nemesis Delly Cartwright, her unexpectedly cute resident Gale Hawthorne, and her very brilliant but very terrifying attending Haymitch Abernathy.
1. Chapter 1

_Hiiii! I've been a long-time reader, a sometimes-commenter, and (sort of) newbie writer. I tried writing something once (for a different fandom) but that didn't work out due to scheduling conflicts so I decided to take it down. Been playing with this idea for quite a while now and I have luckily found some time to start writing. This is mainly going to be based on the show Emily Owens MD (which in my opinion was gone too soon!). Lines will be lifted directly from the show but I will be putting a more original spin to this by writing flashbacks and whatnot (it may not come until the later chapters though). I've taken the liberty of changing up some relationships and character personalities as well. I hope you like it and that you'd let me know what you think of it (Say it nicely, maybe?). I'm also looking forward to getting to know some of you if you might be interested. xo_

_Story summary: Follow Katniss Everdeen as she navigates her intern year at Panem Memorial with her med school crush Peeta Mellark, her high school nemesis Delly Cartwright, her unexpectedly cute resident Gale Hawthorne, and her very brilliant but very terrifying attending Haymitch Abernathy._

* * *

**CHAPTER 1**

Katniss Everdeen wasn't one of those kids who thrived in high school. She was kind of geeky – very geeky. High school was kind of rough. But the knowledge that she would get over those feelings of insecurity and inadequacy and blossom into the secure, confident, kick ass person she knew she was always meant to be got her through those tough years.

She walked towards the entrance of the hospital on her first day of work clad in her blue scrubs and coat, pulling at the edge of her scarf trying to calm herself down.

_Remember the basics: airway, breathing, circulation_, she reminded herself. _Look for pulse, compressions, IV, O2, monitor stable V-tach, Amniodarone 150 milligrams, IV, compressions… Stop! You know it, _she chastised herself. _You can do this, Doctor Everdeen._

She stood up straight, took a deep breath, and let herself in. _Wow_! _This is it._ Katniss didn't realize she was standing in the middle of the lobby taking in the sight that was Panem Memorial Hospital until she heard her name being called.

"Katniss?" She turned around to see him approaching also in his blue scrubs and that warm familiar smile on his face.

"Oh! Peeta! Hi!" she greeted with too much enthusiasm. _Take it down a notch, Everdeen_. "Hey there. Sorry, I'm a little over excited. It's like first day of school jitters. Not like we're in school anymore." _Stop babbling!_

"I wouldn't be so sure," Peeta smirked. "I hear hospitals are a lot like high schools. We're freshmen all over again."

_No, not high school. _Katniss' smile faded, "Please don't say that. So, where do we go?"

Peeta put a hand on her back to lead her to the direction of the lockers. "I'm so glad we're both interning at Panem!"

"How can I turn down the chance to breathe the same air as Haymitch Abernathy?" she explained. "The man pioneered the percutaneous valve replacement!" _Not to mention the fact that you're here_.

"I'm just happy to see a friendly face," Peeta said taking her in for a side hug. _Okay, he's touching you. Do not spaz out_. "You alright?" he asked suddenly looking concerned.

"Yeah, just nervous." _Huh, totally spazzed out_.

"Listen, I hear this place is pretty cut throat. So we're gonna have to stick together, okay?" She didn't trust herself to speak anymore so she just kept that big smile on her face and nodded. "You seem like you're in a pretty good mood today." She just shrugged and walked toward her locker.

"It's funny because I've been in school for 23 years straight and I finally feel like I'm finally entering the next phase of my life," she said as she took off her scarf and coat. _I am in a good mood and nothing is gonna change that_.

"Pits?" a very familiar voice called out that made her suddenly turn around. _No, no, no, no_. "Don't you recognize me?" _I spoke too soon._

_Don't I recognize you? You hid my clothes after gym class. You prank called my house. You tee-peed my car. You were my tormentor, my nemesis_. "I'm so bad with names," she said making a confused face she hoped looked very convincing.

"Delly Cartwright," she said in that haughty air she has always had. "From high school."

* * *

(Flashback: High school)

_You can do this, Katniss. You've summed up all your main points. It's a five-minute speech. _As she approached the classroom door, Katniss reached into her coat pocket for her index cards. But they were nowhere.

She was frantically searching for her cards, even turning her backpack inside-out, and was almost about to cry. _Do not cry, Katniss!_ "Hey, Everdeen!" Delly Cartwright called out from near the window. "Are you ready for debate?" she asked in that very annoying voice that didn't have to explicitly say she just sabotaged her.

"You took my cards," Katniss accused while taking big steps towards Delly ready to frisk her or something. _Please, please give them back_. On the outside, she was in a fit of rage. On the inside, she was dying of panic.

Delly held up a bunch of multicolored cards. _I knew it!_ "These ones?" she asked sweetly and making a show of fanning herself with the cards.

_Uh, duh!_ "Give them back, Cartwright!" she demanded while reaching over but coming up short and tripping over herself. _Shit. _

"Way to go, Katniss," Delly mocked. "Here," she said motioning to give the cards back but simultaneously throwing them out the window as Katniss took a step forward.

Katniss was about to pounce on her when their teacher, Ms. Coin, came in. "Alright! Take your seats," she instructed as she walked towards her table. "Today we have," she lingered taking a look at her notes, "Katniss Everdeen and Delilah Cartwright with 'Should the drinking age be lowered from 21 to 18?'. Okay, ladies. Come up to the front. You have five minutes each to state your points. Miss Cartwright, you may start."

"Good afternoon, everyone. I am all for lowering the minimum legal drinking age from 21 to 18," Delly started while Katniss tried to reconstruct her thoughts.

_Okay, Katniss. You've memorized those cards. Five points in five minutes. Easy. Breathe. One, medically irresponsible. Two, unsafe environments. Three, not a right. Four… four... oh, shit. What was four? Social pressure? Not a right? Fuck. Keep calm, Katniss. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe._

"Thank you," Delly ended with a big round of applause from the class and successfully pulling Katniss out of her thoughts. "Katniss?" Delly said calling her attention with a smirk. "Your turn."

"Oh, right. Sorry." _Take a deep breath._ "Uh, hi," Katniss said awkwardly. She stopped, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and brushed her hair out of her face with her hands. _You can do this. _That's when she heard all the laughing.

She opened her eyes to see Delly and the rest of her class pointing at her. "Look! Her armpits are all sweaty!" And the laughter continued.

* * *

"Delly Cartwright, from high school!" Katniss confirmed. "So how in the world did you end up in Panem?"

"Haymitch Abernathy," Delly explained, taking a step closer. "The man is a genius! First person to perform a percutaneous valve replacement."

_Why are you looking at me like you're the only one who knows about that? I'm here for the exact same thing! _A locker slamming shut cut off her thoughts. "Yeah, that's why Katniss is here too," Peeta interrupted.

Delly didn't look pleased. "Oh," she said looking snidely at Katniss but soon changed that expression into a wide smile as she faced Peeta, "And you are?"

"Peeta Mellark," he introduced himself reaching out to shake her hand. "Nice to meet you."

"You, too. So tell me, Peeta Mellark, how do you know Pits?"

_Stop it with the Pits._ "It's Katniss," she corrected.

"We went to med school together," he explained looking fondly at Katniss. "What's with Pits?"

"That was her nickname in high school." _Stop. Stop. Stop._

"Really? Where did that come from?" Peeta asked suddenly so intrigued. _Drop it, Mellark!_

"You know, I can't remember," Delly said with a sly look on her face. _That bitch._

"Me neither!" Katniss saved. "That's why I just go by Katniss. Sometimes Kat." _This has got to be the worst first day EVER._

"Oh, we gotta go. We don't want to get off on the wrong foot," Delly interrupted. "I hear this place is cut throat."

"I literally just said that," Peeta agreed looking so amazed at the coincidence.

"Great minds," Delly said gesturing towards the door. Peeta followed behind her leaving Katniss still tangled up with her scarf and nowhere ready to join the rest of the interns for orientation.

Katniss leaned back on the lockers and banged her head once. Twice. _Stop over thinking. This will not affect your work. You are Doctor Katniss Everdeen. You are an intern at Panem Memorial. You've worked hard your whole life to get here. Delly Cartwright will not be an issue. Let it go, Everdeen. High school is in the past._

* * *

_So, what do you think?_

_I'm gonna get into more on Peeta in the next chapters. If you think it's a good idea to continue. ;)_

_Also, I just wanted to say that where I'm from the legal drinking age is 18. I just have cousins in the US who keep on arguing about it so I took it as inspiration for that flashback._

_Have a great day. :D_


	2. Chapter 2

_Okay, so this chapter is a little bit longer. There's more character introduction and there's more medical action too. I don't know if that's interesting to you too. :) Do you think I should explain at the bottom what the medical terms are? Or should we just leave it at that and keep our minds safe from being confused. Because honestly, being a medical student myself, I'm still confused._

_So major character deviations happening right here. 1. Delly's a bitch. 2. Madge is a lesbian. There's more, actually. We'll just have to wait and see._

_Let me know what you think! xo_

* * *

**CHAPTER 2**

Katniss struggled to get on her white coat and to keep her stethoscope looped around her neck while rushing to join the rest of the group.

"That seemed awkward," commented a tiny blonde girl from behind her.

"Oh, yeah," Katniss said trying to fix her hair. "I just thought I left high school behind."

"Huh, hilarious. The hospital's totally like high school."

Katniss made a confused face. "That's the second time I've heard that today."

"Because it's true!" the blonde girl reasoned. They continued to walk towards the rest of the group, passing by some of the other doctors. "Look, we've got the jocks aka the orthopedic surgeons. The mean girls go into plastics. Your all-American girl-next-door types are going to be in OB. The geeks, neurologists. The rebels, they're in the ER. Stoners, anesthesia. And peds gets your sanctimonious church goers," she pointed each one out.

"What about us?" Katniss asked, suddenly curious.

"Surgery is a melting pot. A little bit of everything. Which basically means none of us get along."

"This is the first day," Katniss said sounding amazed. "How do you know so much?"

"I'm the principal's kid," the blonde confessed. "Aka the chief-of-staff's daughter."

_WHAT? The chief is her dad?_ "Benjamin Undersee is your dad?" _Stop looking so shocked, Katniss._

"Yes," she said begrudgingly. "Don't think I have a familial advantage though. Dad's not so into me. He wanted a son, got a lesbian. It's not the same thing." _Well, if that isn't too much information right now._ "Madge Undersee," she held out her hand in a handshake.

"Katniss Everdeen," she introduced herself shaking Madge's hand.

Madge suddenly stopped walking and faced Katniss with a very serious face. "FYI, he's gonna act nice, tell you he wants to be your friend. But he doesn't," she said shaking her head. "That's just how he fares out the weak ones." She leans in closer. _Personal space. Personal space. _"Never show weakness." And then she's gone leaving Katniss standing there so confused.

* * *

Benjamin Undersee stood there in his well-tailored suit welcoming all the new interns. "A month ago, you were in med school being taught by doctors. Today, you _are_ the doctors," he started. "I want you to think of me not only as a boss, but as a friend." _Ha, Madge was right!_ "If each one of you does not fulfill your potential, I consider that a failure on my part. And I do not like to fail," he continued. _Full potential. Full potential. You got this, Katniss._ "They say that doctors have god complexes. You know why? Because we are gods; each and every day we perform miracles. Welcome to Panem Memorial." A round of applause resounded in the small room.

"Now, let me introduce you to your resident, Dr. Gale Hawthorne," he pointed towards the corner to a man with dark hair and grey eyes. He smiled and nodded in acknowledgement. _Oh, cute. I get to look at that and Peeta Mellark everyday? Not bad at all. _"And of course, your attending, Dr. Haymitch Abernathy," he now pointed to a middle-aged man who looked like he knew that everyone was beneath him. _That's him? I thought he'd be more… not drunk-looking._ "You may have heard he pioneered the percutaneous valve replacement."

At that, Delly looked at Katniss and mouthed, "It's on." _Oh, it's on, alright! Just you wait and see._

"Dr. Abernathy," the chief continued. "They're all yours."

Dr. Abernathy nodded once and moved towards the door. "We're walking." _Oh, we're following him around. He walks fast!_ "Your job is to keep my patients alive. Any issues you have, you bring them to Gale. Gale brings them to me. You and I, we don't talk unless absolutely necessary which I sincerely hope isn't the case." _Walk faster, Katniss. You have to catch up._ "Don't even think about asking me of when you will be in an OR. Here's my answer: not for a while. Each of you has a pager. That is your lifeline. As surgeons, you will encounter everything. So your job as interns is to get familiar with everything." _Walk faster. But slower. Ugh. I can't breathe. I'm not made for walking this fast. I'm so out of shape. This is what all Peeta's cookies have done to me._ "In a course of a day, you will be paged by many different doctors in many different specialties. When you are paged, you have 60 seconds to appear." _60 SECONDS? WHAT IF I'M IN THE BATHROOM? _"And yes, I have a timer."

"Breathe," Gale reminded her from behind.

"Is it that obvious?" _Obviously it's obvious. You're sweaty and you can't breathe, dummy._

"I'm a doctor," he said matter of factly.

* * *

Dr. Abernathy turned a corner and led them inside a patient's room. "Rue was admitted yesterday after she fainted for the second time in gym class. Present," he said handing the chart to Peeta.

Peeta looked through the chart briefly. "The patient sustained contusions of the face and head. Was admitted for syncope work-up and headache." He continued presenting but Katniss was not listening. _Medicine is all about the little details. You have to pay attention to everything. Like that tiny nick on his jaw. Most likely the result of an over-zealous razor._ "CT showed no hemorrhage," Peeta continued, smiling at the little girl on the bed. _Man, he has a nice jaw. The kind of jaw you'd want to caress. Caress. Caress. Caress._

"Dr. Everdeen!" Dr. Abernathy called. _Oh, shit._ "What is the prognosis?"

"Uh, etiology of syncope most likely to be vasovagal," she said looking down at Rue. "Your body overreacted to something stressful causing a sudden drop in your heart rate and blood pressure. It's harmless," she continued feeling proud of herself for being able to answer quickly.

"Direct your answers to me," Dr. Abernathy said with one eyebrow raised. _Oops._ "And you are correct. Congratulations, Dr. Everdeen. You have earned a special assignment," he continued taking a few steps towards her. "You're in charge of discharge paper work," he said handing her the chart and continuing out the door.

Everyone else followed suit. Peeta was last and gave her a kind smile and a pat on the back before heading out. _Oh, Peeta._

"Thanks for explaining," Rue said before Katniss could start looking through the chart. "I never understand what he's talking about."

"Oh, of course," she said smiling kindly at the girl. Looking through the chart, she continued, "So, your discharge instructions are a little complicated. Are you ready?" She looked at the girl seriously. "Don't faint anymore." Rue nodded and they both smiled at each other. "You will be just fine, Rue."

"But what if I pass out again in front of Thresh?" Rue asked worriedly.

Katniss' interest was piqued. "Is that a boy you like?"

"Yeah. I see him in gym class. My heart races."

"Aah!" Katniss said knowingly. "Hence the fainting. I totally get it though, that heart racing thing. That happened with me too. I'll tell you what. The next time you see him, just sit down because I can't have you falling and hitting your head and looking like a dork." Rue laughed. "But if your symptoms change, if the episodes become more frequent," Katniss added now directing it to Rue's mother, "Or you feel your heart racing beyond the normal Thresh speed, just come right back." Rue's mother agreed. "We'll take your vitals one last time and we'll get you unhooked."

Rue's mother excused herself to get some paperwork settled which left Rue and Katniss alone in the room. "So, I want to hear more about this Thresh boy," Katniss prodded.

Rue smiled wider. "He's so cute. Though he's not the kind of guy who would normally go for someone like me. I mean, he's really popular."

"Popularity is overrated," she said finishing up taking Rue's blood pressure. As she loosened the cuff, the heart monitor started to beep wildly and Rue lost consciousness. "Rue?" she called out shaking the girl. "Rue?" _Oh no, what am I going to do?_ Katniss ran out of the room screaming, "Hey! I need a doctor! Someone get me a doctor!"

An elderly looking nurse put a hand on her shoulder. "You are a doctor."

_Dummy, you are a doctor. What are you doing? Run the code. Run. The. Code._ "Pulse?"

"Thready," the nurse answered.

"Start compressions," she said hurrying back to the bedside. "Give me 0.1 milligrams of Atropine, 0.3 milligrams per kilograms of succinylcholine. And an intubation kit. Where is the intubation kit? I need a tube in now!" _Breathe and think straight, Katniss. Now is not the time to panic._

"Her oxygen's dropping, 69%" the nurse said as Katniss started to intubate.

"There, I'm in! What's the rhythm?"

"Pressure's dropping."

"Someone get me an EKG." And quickly another nurse handed her a piece of paper. "Low voltage, sinus tach," she interpreted quickly.

"We have V-tach," the elderly nurse said loudly this time, still continuing compressions on Rue's chest.

_V-tach. What do you do with V-tach? Pads!_ "Pads! Clear!"

Katniss ran the code without stopping to think until, "Dr. Everdeen," the elderly nurse called out to her.

"What's the rhythm?"

"The same," her tone was grave. "Still no pulse" _No, I cannot have a child die on me on my first day._

"Okay," she instructed the other nurse. "Give me a 60cc syringe and an 18-gauge needle." _You can do this. You've done this before. On a dummy, sure. But it has to be the same. Steady hands, Everdeen. Steady hands. _Katniss counted Rue's ribs, punctured her chest, extracted fluid, and started praying. "Come on, Rue. Come on. Come on. Come on." She almost jumped for joy when the monitor started beeping normally again and Rue's eyes opened. Katniss let out a big breath of relief and leaned forward to calm herself down. _Thank you, thank you._

"What the hell happened?" Dr. Abernathy demanded rushing into the room. _Now he comes? Perfect._

"She coded," Katniss explained breathlessly. "We were talking and then she coded. I realized it was alternans and I did a pericardiocentesis," she continued explaining while taking steps backward towards the door.

Dr. Abernathy was busy calling orders to the nurses so she just quietly slipped away. The rest of the interns were outside singing her praises.

"Incredible!" Madge said jumping up and down while clapping her hands.

"That was cool," Delly said hesistantly.

"That was absolutely perfect," Peeta said with a very proud smile.

"Oh now I remember why we called you Pits," Delly said laughing and pointing at her. That's when she realized that her armpits were soaking wet with sweat. _So not the time to be this sweaty, Katniss._

Katniss put her arms down and smiled awkwardly at her colleagues. Peeta stepped forward and took her into his arms. "Come on, let's go get you cleaned up," he said leading her towards the locker room. _Thank you, Peeta._

* * *

_So how did you like that? :)_

_Ps - this story is on Tumblr too if you're there - come look for a-tresia._


	3. Chapter 3

_Hi! I'm back with the 3rd chapter. I've noticed a number of you have followed the story. Thank you so much! I'd love to hear from you though. Drop me a line! You don't have to say anything about the story, you could just say hello (though I would really want to know what you think). Anyway, I've got up to chapter 5 written down already. So that would probably be up before my short break ends. And then I will have to figure out a writing and posting schedule after that. Alrighty! Hope you like this chapter. xo_

* * *

**CHAPTER 3**

_Pager? Where is my pager? Nefarious. N-E-F-A-R-I-O-U-S. Nefarious. That's the word that I spelled correctly in the fifth grade spelling bee to beat Delly. Ever since then, she's targeted me. But the thing about Delly is that she's sneaky. Where the fuck is my pager? Nothing nefarious could ever be traced back to her._

Katniss looked over the lockers and under the benches for her pager but she couldn't find it. She rushed towards the nurse's station; maybe they knew where it was. "My pager!" Katniss exclaimed as she approached the nurse's station. "Have you seen my pager?

"Your pager's missing, huh," the elderly nurse who ran the code with her earlier asked. Mags, she learned her name was. "That's why you haven't been answering."

"Answering who?"

"Everdeen!" Oh, shit. Abernathy. Shit. Shit. Shit. "Why aren't you answering my pages?"

"I'm sorry, I couldn't…" she tried to reason out.

"Sixty seconds," Dr. Abernathy reminded. He gestured for her to follow and she rushed behind him. _What a day! Oh, we're heading back to Rue._

* * *

Katniss stood beside Dr. Abernathy as he explained to Rue what just happened. "You have what is called a pericardial effusion," he said. "Fluid has built up around the outside of your heart."

"But we did an EKG when she was admitted," Rue's mother interrupted. "It was normal, they said."

"Changes can be subtle in the beginning. It's rare. We had no reason to suspect it," Abernathy explained.

"So I wasn't fainting because of Thresh?" Rue asked.

"It's the boy she likes," Katniss offered. Abernathy gave her a look that said he wasn't interested.

"No. You were fainting because your heart doesn't pump properly. And we are going to have to operate so it can drain completely."

Rue's mother looked worried. "Dr. Abernathy, can I speak with you outside?" Abernathy nodded and led Rue's mother outside.

Rue's face was scrunched up in worry. "So, how serious is it?" she asked Katniss.

"Pretty serious," she said honestly. "But you're gonna be just fine. Because Dr. Abernathy is the best." _Probably not the best with bedside manner but the best in what he does._ "Now since we're alone, let's talk about the really important stuff. Like when are you actually gonna tell Thresh how you feel?" _Really, Katniss? You're asking a twelve year old this question? _

"Let's see," Rue said pondering on Katniss' question. "The day after never," she dragged. Katniss gave her a look. "What if he rejects me?"

"What if he doesn't?"

"Does that doctor know how you feel?" This child is too smart.

"What?" she asked dumbly.

"Oh come on. The one you were staring at during rounds," Rue said matter of factly. "Blonde hair, blue eyes, hands you want to linger at your neck, brush along your collar bone?" Katniss looked confused. _What is this child saying?_ "Have you not read The Hunger Games?"

Katniss suddenly felt silly and laughed at herself. "Okay, even if I was staring at him. A little. That doesn't mean…"

"He totally likes you, too," Rue interrupted.

_He does? How can a child know this?_ Katniss was intrigued. "How can you tell?"

Rue looked at her as if it was the most obvious thing. "He was looking at you while you were talking to me."

"Looking? Or looking-looking?" _Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god._

"Looking-looking."

"Can you tell the difference?" _Great. You're asking the advise of a child!_

"Of course! I'm twelve," Rue said. "You should tell him how you feel."

"Ah, I don't know." _That doesn't sound like a good idea._

"You told me to tell Thresh," Rue reasoned.

"That's different."

"No, it's not," Rue argued. "Plus if we don't tell them, someone else might get there first." _Delly!_ "And that would blow."

"That would blow," Katniss agreed. "Big time!"

_Should I tell him? But what if he doesn't like you back? But that voicemail from years back. That totally says he likes you back. But he doesn't, really. Ugh. Katniss!_

* * *

"Here are the labs you requested for 501," Katniss said handing over a folder to Gale.

"Thank you," he said looking through it. "I forgot I asked you to be on the look out for it." Just as Katniss was about to start up a conversation, his pager beeped. "Gotta go. Surgery!" And he ran towards to OR.

Following suit was Peeta. "Katniss! Surgery!" _He looks so excited! Like a little boy. How cute! Stop being so cute. It makes my heart sad that I can't have you._ "Want to watch?" _Obviously! Duh!_ And they, too, ran towards the viewing room.

* * *

Katniss found herself sitting beside Peeta in the viewing deck of the operating room. It was the first time they were alone together all day and they just sat there in silence. _Just do it. Just tell him. Okay, I'm gonna move over a few inches so our shoulders are touching. If he doesn't move, then he likes me._ Katniss moved in closer and nothing happened. _Wait, maybe he doesn't feel it. If he looks at me! If he looks at me, I'll know he likes me._ Katniss looked up pretending to look over her shoulder. And Peeta looked! And smiled! Katniss smiled back. _Say it! Say it! Say it!_ "Peeta?"

"Yeah?"

_SAY IT! _"Nothing." _Coward._

"So where are we?" he asked, referring to the surgery.

"Ligamentous attachments have been taken down. Hilum exposed," she narrated while watching her resident go through the motions of the surgery. "Five years!"

"What?" Peeta asked, confused.

"Gale has been here five years and just now doing his solo surgery."

Peeta looked at her intently. "Well, we thought med school would last forever and it flew by." He looked at the operating table and then back to Katniss. "Do you remember what Professor Kendrick said when we got our cadavers in gross anatomy?" he asked.

Katniss nodded. Of course she remembered. "You will remember this moment. You will remember where you were standing. You will remember the first cut."

"Do you remember?" Peeta asked solemnly, as if that moment was a sacred moment.

_Of course. I was standing next to you._ Katniss nodded. "I cut through the sternum."

"And I knew by watching you, that you were going to be a great surgeon," Peeta said smiling proudly at Katniss. _It's things like that that make me love you more. Love? What? Love? _Katniss smiled back. "You have the most amazing hands." _Say it. Say it. Say it._ She just scoffed and bumped shoulders with him. _Is he trying to tell me something? Or am I just reading too much into it?_

* * *

_Next chapter would be a little bit of a flashback to Peeta and Katniss in med school. There wasn't such a thing on the show (Emily Owens) but I really liked writing it. It kind of served like a little diary of how it was for me back in my first year of med school._

_Ps - I'm also on Tumblr as a-tresia. _


	4. Chapter 4

_Here is the real chapter. As promised. It took me a while to write it again. And still, I am not very happy with it. I just have to much stories to tell but not enough perfect words. I thought about totally skipping this chapter and just sneaking in some flashbacks per chapter but I also wanted to keep it. And this is me being stubborn. Thus - mediocre chapter. But yeah. I still hope you like it though. Thanks for the reviews and follows. Totally appreciate them! Hope you'd still come back after this. Haha! xo_

* * *

**CHAPTER 4**

(Flashback: Med school)

**White coat ceremony**

Katniss ran her palms across the front of her white coat. _It's white now but this will soon be exposed to lost of bodily fluids. And pathogens._ She admired her name that was embroidered on the left breast. _You may look like a doctor now but you are a medical virgin, Katniss. So much to learn in four years. Cannot wait for that comma MD._

"Katniss! Smile!" Prim said from behind her. She was giddily taking pictures of her older sister. "You look like a real doctor!" she complimented.

"I feel like a fraud," she pouted. _Don't pout. Doctors don't pout._ "I've never taken a real history before nor performed a physical exam. I don't know how to read an x-ray nor use an ultrasound machine!"

"You only just started!" Prim laughed at her. "It's not as if you're going around treating people, Katniss." Prim approached Katniss and gave her a hug. "You'll do great. And this coat looks amazing on you," she said making a show of fixing it up. "Now, selfie!" she said as she raised one arm up to take the photo.

"Mom!" Prim shouted from across the room to their mother who was talking to former classmates who were now Katniss' professors. "Sorry," she murmured when she realized she was being too loud. She frantically waved at their mother until she made her way across the hall the join the girls.

Iris Everdeen pulled Katniss into a hug. "I'm so proud of you," she said as she let her go. She had a proud look on her face and tears were threatening to fall.

"I just started, mom. In fact, I've barely even started," Katniss reminded her. "It's not my graduation yet! Don't cry."

All three ladies laughed. "I just feel a little nostalgic," she said. "And I wish your dad was here. He would have been so proud of you," she said pulling Katniss into another hug. _Hi Dad! Air kisses from your three girls! _"I'm proud of you," she repeated. "You'll do great." She took a step back to admire Katniss in her white coat. "You'll have that MD soon enough," she said pointing to the embroidered name.

"Prim, take a photo of me and mom," Katniss instructed as she pulled her mom into a pose. _This will go on a really nice frame. Doctor and future doctor. It would be such an honor to be even half the doctor that she is._

* * *

**Introduction to gross anatomy**

At 8 am on the second week of school, students made their way up to the gross anatomy lab. Gone was the noisy getting-to-know-each-other chatter. They were greeted with the strong smell of preservatives and the lingering feeling of facing a dead body.

As they filed through the lecture room adjacent to the dissection room, they were greeted by their instructor. "Good morning, first years," she said in a very cheery tone as she addressed the class. "I am Dr. Atala Kendrick, your gross anatomy instructor. Ready?" _Not really._ "Excited?" _Not really._

"I know how y'all are feeling. Some of you have never seen a lifeless human body. Some have but haven't touched one. Don't worry. All doctors have gone through this. It is a required rite of passage on the way to your white coats. When you are full-pledged doctors, you will remember this moment. You will remember where you were standing. You will remember the first cut. But for now, remember to respect. These cadavers were once alive, like you. So treat them with the utmost respect. It is through their generosity that you have the opportunity to learn from real bodies. You are allowed to make wrong incisions so you can learn and prevent future errors on a live patient. The best way to honor their memory is to learn from everything you do in the lab."

The class was silently taking in her words. "If you are religious, you can say a little prayer before starting. I did when I was a student. It helped me a lot," she added. "Okay! Let's get started. You should always have your dissection guide and dissection kit with you but, along with five other instructors, I will be around to answer any questions. You have been grouped randomly into groups of four and the list has been posted on the board at the back. Let's get to work!"

* * *

**Dissection **

"Okay, Katniss. It's your turn this week," Peeta said gesturing towards the covered cadaver. "Make a cut with the bone saw across the sternum at the level of the sternal angle and the sixth costo-sternal junction and cut the ribs two through five in the mid-axillary line on each side," Peeta read from the dissection manual while Katniss counted through the ribs. _He might as well be reading from the phone book and I would still be listening._ "Remove the sternum and the rib portions in one piece leaving the internal thoracic vessels and pleura intact," he continued as he watched Katniss do her thing.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Katniss asked taking a step backward to admire her clean work. _Huh, I'd make a great surgeon._

"Amazing," Peeta agreed. He wasn't looking at the cadaver, he was looking at her. _Is he staring at me?_ "You have really amazing hands." _Stop blushing!_

"Amazing once you get over the smell," Octavia offered. Octavia was a groupmate of theirs. She was a plump woman with dark auburn hair and the most striking green eyes Katniss has ever seen. "I'm sorry, Katniss. I'd really love to help but I just can't get past the smell," she added from a few feet away.

"It's fine," Katniss assured. "I like doing it. Besides, you did the all the work on the first week." _Whatever, you just don't want to ruin your nails._ "It's just that I can't seem to get the smell off my hands at the end of the day," she added making a disgusted face. "Double gloves!" she said holding her hands up. "And the smell still sticks."

"We'll just have to deal with it, I guess. There's only a few more weeks left of dissection," Venia, the fourth groupmate said. _Hmm, I wonder why her hair is all grey._ "Let me continue reading while you guys cut," she offered. "And here," she said handing over a box of gloves to Katniss. "They're nitrile gloves. They work better than latex. Double glove if you want."

_Lifesaver!_ "Thank you, Venia" Katniss exclaimed. She would have hugged her if she weren't so dirty. "Let me just change gloves and we'll continue."

"Incise the pericardium with a longitudinal cut from the base of the great vessels to the level of the diaphragm," Venia read out. "Cut laterally from this incision on each side at the base and at the level of the diaphragm. Open the pericardium as if you are opening the pages of a book."

"Want me to take over, Katniss?" Peeta offered when he noticed Katniss shifting from one foot to another. "You look tired."

"Thanks, Peeta. Have at it," she said gesturing towards the cadaver.

Venia continued to read through the guide and Peeta very diligently followed the instruction to the letter. _Look at those hands. They're so big. And his arms. He probably works out. How does he even still find the time to work out? I don't even have the time to tweeze my eyebrows, let alone go to the gym. I wonder what cookies he'll bring later tonight for our study session._

"Remove the heart and remove clotted blood from the great vessels," Venia read.

Peeta lifted the heart with both of his hands and stared. "Wow," he said with his face clearly in awe. "I have never held a human heart before." _That might as well be my heart you're holding._ "I mean, wow. Sorry, I sound like such a girl. But isn't this just… Wow." _He's blubbering. How adorable._ Peeta just stood there examining every nook and cranny of the heart in awe. "You grow up drawing pictures of hearts on Valentine's day, but seeing the heart firsthand, it's crazy. I could imagine it pumping and blood going wherever it needs to go."

* * *

**Exam week**

"I can't do this anymore!" Katniss complained at 3 in the morning. "Can't we just snack on these notes? Maybe the information would get stored in my brain!" she suggested.

Peeta laughed at her. _Huh, apparently, my humor is still intact at 3 am!_ "Or we could sleep and put them under our pillows. Learning through osmosis," he suggested back.

"From greater concentration," she said pointing to the cards, "to lesser concentration," she continued now pointing to her brain.

"Nah, there's a lot in there," he assured her tapping her on the head. "You're just tired. You should sleep. I can head out now if you're too tired."

"No!" she exclaimed too quickly. "I mean, I shouldn't sleep. We should get used to these all-nighters, anyway." _Besides, I like you here._ "This is only the first wave of exams, we have 4 more years of this to go!"

"My mind feels like it has been shot with Novocaine," Peeta said rubbing his temples. "It's kind of rejecting any new information."

"Powernap?" Katniss suggested. _I really can't take this anymore!_

Peeta thought about it. "Good idea," he said with his eyes drooping and his head leaning back on the couch. "15 minutes."

Katniss grabbed her phone and set an alarm. "Set one too!" she instructed. "See you in 15 minutes." With that she was off to sleep.

Katniss blindly reached for her phone to shut off the alarm. She very slowly opened her eyes to look at what she was pressing but jumped off the couch when she realized it was already 9:15. _Shit_. "PEETA!" she shouted to wake him up while she was frantically running to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

Peeta startled awake. "Huh? What?" He asked dumbly while trying to rub the sleep off his eyes.

"IT'S 9:15! HURRY UP!" _Calm down, girl!_ "WE'RE LATE!" _Exam started at 9! FUUUUUUCK!_

Realization dawned on Peeta and he jumped off the couch to gather his things. "Okay, we should go. Just put on a hoodie," he said reaching for his car keys. He was trying to be calm for the both of them seeing that Katniss couldn't think straight. "I have your pencil case. I'm driving. Let's go," he said opening the door to usher her out.

* * *

**Long lectures**

Everyone had their laptops in front of them as the lecturer babbled on and on about the Krebs cycle. Not everyone was listening and taking down notes though. Katniss and Peeta were on iMessage having a totally different conversation.

Peeta: I found socks in my trash can this morning. A perfectly wearable pair of socks! Must have mistaken it for my hamper.

Katniss: It's okay. Exam brain.

Peeta: No! You don't understand. I found my phone inside my freezer!

Katniss could see him making a face from three tables away.

"So how many ATPs are obtained after complete oxidation of one glucose in glycolysis, citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation," the lecturer asked the class.

"38," Katniss said mostly to herself. She didn't realize she said it out loud for the class to hear.

"Very good!" the lecturer praised before continuing with the rest of the lecture. Katniss blushed and continued to ignore the rest of the lecture.

Peeta: You just knew that from the top of your head? I'm impressed. ;)

Katniss: Ha! Thank you. And it makes you feel better, I totally didn't get to relax at all when I got a massage last night. I kept on naming the muscles the masseuse was kneading. Talk about nerd alert.

Katniss saw him struggle to keep from laughing out loud.

Peeta: No, it doesn't make me feel better about my fried brain. But thanks for making me laugh. Only you.

Katniss: Only me what?

_Could make you laugh? Why are you flirting with me? I thought you had a girlfriend?_

Peeta: Could go get a massage and be a geek about it.

_Thanks._

Katniss: I wasn't being a geek about it. I just. Well. Yeah. I was being a geek about it. So what? At least my brain still works.

Peeta looked back to make eye contact with Katniss. He clutched his chest and mouthed "I'm hurt" and then winked at her. _Stop flirting with me. If I didn't know better, I would think he likes me._

Katniss: You'll live. So, another rest night or do we go back to work?

_Back to work! Back to work! Please, please._

They had daily study sessions alternating at each other's apartments. Peeta was always in charge of the food and Katniss was always in charge of the study materials.

Katniss saw him struggling to decide. _Huh, I know you want to see me tonight!_

Katniss: Or we could just chill instead of study?

Peeta: Actually Leevy drove up last night. I was planning on taking her out to dinner tonight. Rain check?

_Fuck. I didn't realize his girlfriend was in town._

Katniss: You got it. Tell her I said hello. Have fun.

_Have fun while I stuff myself with those cookies you left at my apartment._

* * *

**After-finals party**

Normally when you tell med students that there's a party, only a few would show up. Those that would show up would leave at 10 pm. But a party after finals? Everyone comes! And no one leaves until they're completely wasted.

"One year down, forever to go!" Chaff said as they entered the bar. _Rambunctious. That's the word for him. Rambunctious._ "And because I," he bowed. _What a show off._ "Because I got the highest marks, TWO ROUNDS ON ME!" Everyone cheered for him and clapped him on the back.

_Oookay, everyone's planning to get wasted tonight_. Katniss sat at the bar nursing her beer while talking to Octavia and Venia about the past academic year. _Haven't we had enough class for one year to still be talking about studying AT A BAR? _Katniss looked around when she realized she hasn't seen Peeta all night.

"Did Peeta come?" Octavia asked as if she read Katniss' mind.

"I was thinking the exact same thing," Katniss confessed. "I haven't see him all night."

"It's just weird not to see him around you because you know… you guys are like the extension of each other's intestines or something," Octavia commented.

Katniss laughed it off. _Extension of each other's intestines? What?_ "Aren't you guys together?" Venia asked. _WHAT?_ Katniss choked on her drink and shook her head. "Really?" Venia asked not believing Katniss at all. "Well, you guys look good together. And you get along so well. Not that you need my opinion or anything."

_Awkwaaaard. _"Uh, he actually has a girlfriend," Katniss explained. "And speak of the devil," she said when she spotted Peeta approaching.

"Hey girls!" he greeted with a smile. _That smile. There's something missing._ They greeted him back and Venia and Octavia excused themselves to go dance with the cute boys. "Hey, Katniss," he said gesturing at the bartender for a beer.

"You okay?" she asked.

"No, not really," he admitted. "Just some Leevy stuff. Crazy stuff. Let's just leave it at maybe I should just stop dating for a while. Okay?" _Did they break up?_ Katniss nodded. He didn't want to talk about it. "I just want to drink and dance and have a good time with my best friend."

"First, drink," Katniss said. "Four tequila shots, please!" she called out to the bartender. "Cheers!" they said clinking shot glasses. They took two consecutive shots each and winced at how it burned their throats. "Next, have a good time," she said gesturing to the dance floor.

"Want to dance?" Peeta asked.

"With you?" she asked lightheartedly. He raised an eyebrow at her. _Wow that's sexy._ "Of course," she said holding her hand out so he could lead her to the dance floor.

* * *

_That bit about Katniss and Peeta being late for an exam? Totally happened to me. Since then I've always told myself that if I don't know it by 1 am, I should just head to bed. See you in the next chapter! :D_


	5. Chapter 5

_Surprised? :D _

_I'm baaaack! (Too soon?) Because I wasn't entirely happy with the previous chapter, I decided to post this one right after that one. I like this better. AND! It's an important chapter for Katniss and Peeta and Katniss and Delly. (Are you excited? Because I'm excited for you to read it!)_

_So there. Have fun! And thank you for your support. Let me know what you think!. xo_

* * *

**CHAPTER 5**

Katniss walked into Rue's room to see her smiling at her phone while texting. "What's a non-dorky way to say 'can't wait'?" Rue asked.

"I'm awashed with anticipation?" Katniss offered. "I'm intoxicated by the prospect? I'm yearning for the moment?" _You are such a dork, Katniss Everdeen._

"I'll go with I can't wait," Rue decided.

"What can't you wait for?" Katniss was now curious.

Rue giggled. "My date with Thresh."

This girl is fast! "You told him?" _Okay, I am genuinely shocked. Kids these days!_

"Yes! And he likes me too!" Katniss made a very surprised face. "You don't have to seem so surprised," she said slightly offended.

"No! I'm not surprised," Katniss countered. "I'm impressed. That took balls! Good for you."

"I take it you haven't told Doctor Peeta?" the girl asked.

_Stop getting on my case little lady. _"I've been swamped. I'm a doctor, you know."

"Yeah, I know," Rue said before turning serious. "You're doing my surgery, right?"

_Oh, no. She thinks I'm doing her surgery._ "Sweetie, I can't. You get someone experienced."

"That mean doctor?" She was referring to Dr. Abernathy.

"No! Dr. Abernathy is not mean," Katniss reasoned. "He's just…" _Think of something nice to say._ "… not nice. But he's the best. And you want the best."

"I want you," Rue insisted. "Can you at least please be in the room to make sure I'm okay?" _Puppy dog eyes. Ugh. _"Please?"

"I guess you can request that I be in there with you?" _Can she do that? I might get in trouble for this._

* * *

"You told her that she could request you in there?" Dr. Abernathy asked Katniss incredulously.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know what to say." _That's because you weren't thinking!_

"You say you don't know what the hell you're doing!" he said in a slightly louder voice. "You say that even though you think you're hot stuff, you're not. And you say you don't know if you'll ever be in a surgery because right now, your attending physician is so pissed off!" He turned away and walked off. "I don't even want to look at you."

Before she could wallow in self-pity, Peeta was suddenly behind her. _Always perfect timing, Mr. Mellark._ "You're a rockstar," he said kissing her cheek. "Come here," he said pulling her into a hug. _Oh, you smell good. Why are you the sweetest? You always know what I need when I need it. Boom! There goes my ovaries._ "He'll realize it soon enough." She hugged him back. "Okay?" Katniss just nodded into his shoulder before he let go. _Say it!_

"I like you!" she started. _You did it! High five, self!_ "I've liked you since you helped me crack that chest in gross anatomy. You took out the heart and held it in your hands." Peeta smiled, remembering that moment. "And I remember thinking that could be my heart. He may as well be holding my heart." Peeta was now a little confused. "And I was too shy to say anything and then when we became friends I didn't want to jeopardize the friendship." _Slow down, Katniss._ "But then I know if I never said anything then we'd always just be friends and I don't want to be that shy girl always wishing their life would turn out how they want it to. I have to make it turn out the way that I want it to." _Now there goes that very adorable but very confused face. _"What I really, really want…" _Say it!_ "Is you," she finished as she put her hands on Peeta's shoulders and looked up to him expectantly.

Peeta smiled awkwardly and looked away for a second. "I don't… I… Um… I just… God, I don't see you like that." _There it is. Shit. Don't cry. Don't cry._ "I can't even tell you how touched I am by what you just said and I really hope that we could still be friends because I really value our friendship," Peeta explained.

Katniss just nodded, trying to ward off the tears she could feel coming. "Yeah, yeah. Of course, we could be friends." _Don't cry. _"I just needed to get that off my chest. And now it's off. It's great." _Great. Just great._

Katniss sat in the fire escape, crying while stuffing her face with vending machine brownies. _It's okay, Katniss. Stop crying. At least you tried. It's off your chest. But that was so humiliating! Did I just read too much into everything? He has always been that sweet. And not to others. Just me. Maybe I just saw what I wanted to see. Don't cry, Katniss. Stop it. It's not the end of the world._

* * *

The door barging open pulled her out of her thought. "Hey." Katniss looked up to see Gale. "Mags said she saw you come in here with half the vending machine." She just sat there chewing. "You alright?"

Katniss took a deep breath. "Yeah," she said. "I'm really great except for the fact that Haymitch hates me. My bravery backfired. And my high school nemesis is being very nefarious. And these brownies are stale." _Peeta spoiled me too much with baked goods and now I'm a snob._ "I'm just having the worst day."

Gale looked at her like she grew another head. _Yeah, I know. I eat like a slob. I talk too much. And I'm an ugly crier._ "Yeah, um, follow me." Katniss finished the last of her stale brownies and stood up to follow Gale who was holding the door open for her.

They walked through the hospital hallways with Gale pointing out different rooms. "That man over there is going to have to learn how to walk again without a leg," he pointed to 505. "That woman over there," he said pointing to 503, "is going to have a colostomy bag for the next three months." _I get where he is going._ "And the woman down in 501 is going to be told that she has stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Now her son is going to try to sell her on the fact that there are always new trials she can get in to but you and I know the truth. She's got 6 months. A year if she's lucky. And she's going to feel sick every single day of that year. So, no. You're not having the worst day. Not by a long shot." Gale looked at her intently hoping that he put his point across.

"You must think I'm incredibly self-absorbed," she said.

"Nope, just human," he offered with a kind smile. "Now hand over the chocolate and get back to work." She reached into her pocket, gave the rest of her chocolate to Gale, and ran off.

_He's actually really cute. He looks so broody all the time but he has a really nice smile. And are those eyes gray? Oh, lordy._

* * *

Delly and Katniss were working on a case of a woman with Alzheimer's. Katniss was so pissed off at the woman's daughter that she just left her mother in the hospital without a word. Katniss just stood there judging her while she was signing papers.

"I know you think I'm a terrible person," the patient's daughter said. "But it's not like I planned to do this. I brought her in to be seen and well, I had to go. The nurse told me not to worry, that they'd take very good care of her. So I left. And as I was driving away, I had this overwhelming sense of relief that someone else was watching her. It didn't have to be just me anymore."

"No," Katniss explained. "I know it's a lot of work but your mother needs you."

"Back off!" Delly suddenly said from behind her. _Now is not the time Delly! _"You have no idea what this woman's going through. You have no idea what it's like to care for someone 24 hours a day. So you can't possibly judge." The woman just nodded beside her. "Trust me, I get it," Delly continued now addressing the patient's daughter. "My brother had cystic fibrosis." _What? I didn't know that!_ "He was sick his whole life. Growing up, we had a hospital bed in our living room. I couldn't invite anyone over because my parents were afraid he'd catch a cold. Every single thing revolved around my brother. His progess, his setbacks. But there were these moments when he'd feel better and we'd watch TV together or complain about our parents. And those moments," Delly's voice started to crack. "I'd give anything for one of them again. And your mother, she may not always recognize you but she does love you. And I know that for a fact because the whole time she's been in the hospital, she has been looking for you." At that, the woman squeezed Delly's hands in gratitude and left towards her mother's room.

_Wow, Delly has a sensitive side. I never knew that._ "Okay, that look on your face," Delly said pointing to Katniss' sad face, "that's the reason I didn't tell anyone in high school. I don't need your pity. I'm still a bitch." _Right you are!_

"Trust me, I know. You're a huge bitch."

"Thank you, I appreciate that." _What?_

"But why are you such a bitch to me? What did I ever do to you?" Katniss really wanted to know.

"Come on," Delly scoffed. "You really need me to say it?" _What is it?_ Katniss looked at her expectantly. "Everything always came so easy to you. Well, not the looks thing or the popularity thing. But the school thing."

_She was jealous?_ "You were jealous?"

"I wouldn't say jealous."

Katniss was jumping up and down inside. "You were! You were jealous."

"If you ever repeat that, I'll deny it. And I'll probably spread a really nasty rumor about you." _What a bitch._

Just as she was about to retaliate, Dr. Abernathy happened to pass by. "Everdeen! Scrub in!" _I'm going to be observing Abernathy in surgery. First, I find out that Delly is jealous of me. And now this! This isn't such a bad day after all._ "You watch. You don't talk. You don't touch." _Yes, sir! So excited!_

* * *

_So did this totally make up for the disaster that was chapter 4?_


	6. Chapter 6

_Hi Guest #5! Yes, this is an Everlark story. Peeta just needs a little bit more time to figure things out. But it's there. You'll see._

_Hi Guest #6! I'm glad you liked the little background story in chapter 4. I thought maybe I should write in Katniss' mom and Prim. And then maybe write more about them in the future. We'll see how that goes with the story._

_Also. Hello Guest #3 and royacarmelle! I hope the last chapter answered your question about Delly. I'll get into more detail about that in the later chapters._

_Seriously, guys. Thank you so much for the follows and reviews. I'd love to message you all a personal thank you but I can't do that when you're not logged in. So.. yeah. Thanks again._

_So we're slowly getting to know more characters and more **of** the characters. Slowly but surely, I say. Hope you like this. Let me know what you think. Xo_

* * *

**CHAPTER 6**

_This isn't the first time you told a boy you liked him, Katniss. Stop stressing. Ninth grade, Thom Gruber. He spit at you, Katniss! But you chose to believe it was accidental – a result of sialorrhea caused by his braces. Not that you knew that at that time. _

"Hey Peeta," Katniss said to herself. She was practicing how to approach him without being awkward. "Heeeey Peeta. Peeta? Hi Peeta."

_The point is – this cannot be as bad as spit. _She spotted him at the nurse's station with the rest of the interns from afar. _There he is. Act normal._ "Hey Peetey!" she exclaimed and everyone looked at her. Peeta looked at her like she grew a second head. _Earth. Swallow me. Peetey? Did you just call him Peetey? The fuck?_

"You go by Peetey?" Delly asked.

Peeta tried to downplay it and save Katniss from embarrassment. "Um, uh, yeah…" he struggled. "No. Not really."

_Oh no. He's uncomfortable around you. Show him you're fine._ Katniss started laughing uncontrollably. "What's funny?" Delly asked intrigued.

"This thing I saw on TV," Katniss lied. _Stop it. You're making it worse!_ "It was like a horse thing." _Kaaaatniiiiiiiiss! Stop. Stop. Stop._ Peeta bit his lip in confusion. Delly and Madge were looking at her like she needed a psych consult. _Escape! Escape!_ Katniss put on a show of looking at her watch, mumbled something about freshening up before rounds, and ran away. _Okay, that wasn't awkward._

Little did she know, Madge followed her. "What the hell was that?" Madge asked with a very curious look on her face.

"Hm? Nothing," Katniss said trying to be nonchalant about it.

"Come on. You're so full of shit. Fine, I'll go ask Peeta," she said turning around.

_Fuck! No!_ "No!" Katniss said pulling on Madge's arm. "I might have told him that I liked him," she explained. "And he might have shot me down." _No big deal._ "That might have happened."

Madge looked shocked. And for once, she was out of words. Katniss took that opportunity and left her standing in place. Madge was quick to realize that Katniss left. "What made you think he would ever be into you?" she asked. _Wow, what a way to make a girl feel good about herself, Madge! _"No offense."

"Well, that message from years back."

"What message?"

"In med school, after finals, we got kind of drunk. And when I got home there was this unopened voicemail on my phone. He said something like…" Katniss tried to imitate Peeta. "What am I doing with all these crazy girls? I should be with someone like you. Maybe we should date."

"No!"

"Less shock, please." _What is it with this girl? Any tact at all?_ "But like I said, he was drunk. He never brought it up and I never mentioned it."

"I want to hear this message."

_How did she know I saved it?_ "What are you talking about? It was two years ago! I didn't save it."

"Mmhmm," Madge agreed skeptically. "Of course you saved the message."

_Pushy!_ "No, I didn't," Katniss insisted.

* * *

Katniss read through the chart before presenting. _Oh no. There are some things you never want to tell a patient._ "Mrs. Tallow," she started interrupted by the patient who insisted she call her Sae. "Sae presented with a small inferior wall MI and bumped troponins. She has a history of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia and COPD."

"What's the diagnosis?" Dr. Abernathy asked.

"You had a heart attack," Katniss said addressing the old lady. "And your heart is failing."

"So my grandmother needs surgery?" Calla, Sae's granddaughter, asked.

Haymitched motioned for Katniss to go on. _How do you break bad news? _"No, unfortunately she's not a candidate." _This is so sad._

"What do you mean?" the girl asked.

"Well typically to treat this condition we would do one of two procedures," Katniss explained. "A cardiac catheterization with stenting or a full bypass. But both are invasive. And due to your health, we don't recommend that you elect to do either." _Haymitch! Please take over!_

"You say I'm going to die or something?"

Katniss looked to Haymitch for support but was only met with a reassuring nod and a signal that she should go on. "With medications, oxygen, and limited physical exertion, you could have as long as a year."

Sae's face fell and Haymitch gestured for everyone to exit the room. "We'll give you some space and time to think," he said. When everyone was outside the room, he called Katniss over. "Your face looks very sad," he commented.

"That was really hard," she explained still with her sad face.

"Make it not look like that," Dr. Abernathy said. "And keep some distance." With that, he left.

"It gets easier," Gale offered.

_To break bad news?_ "And that's a good thing?"

"I'm not sure," he said with a shrug. "But it does."

Katniss went back in to talk to the patient as her granddaughter left to get something to eat. "Alright, deep breaths," Katniss instructed as she reached behind her to listen with her stethoscope. "Another one, please."

"I guess I should have seen this coming. I'm an old lady, right?" Sae said. "I just always thought I'd feel ready at the end. But I don't feel ready."

_No, please. Stop. Don't cry. You're such a pussy, Everdeen! _"You still have time."

"Yeah, like you said, maybe a year," she said. "You know what it's like to hear something like that?" Katniss shook her head. _No. That's why I never know how to tell people these things._ "Nah, what am I saying? You have your whole life ahead of you. You want some advise?"

"Yeah, any and all." _The wisdom of old people is never turned down._

"None of it is big. That's what I tell Calla. Stop worrying so much, not of it is big."

"Feels big though."

"Yeah, that's what she says too."

"So you and your granddaughter, you're really close huh?"

"She actually lives with me if you would believe that. While she goes to graduate school." Katniss could see how proud she was of her granddaughter. "Could you imagine, I got an eighth grade education and my granddaughter's going to be a college professor in 3 years."

"Well, see, now I've got to argue with you," Katniss said. "That seems pretty big."

Sae nodded her head. "You're absolutely right."

"Well, once in a while it happens," Katniss said with a shrug of a shoulder.

"So I at least got to try and see that graduation." _Oh no. She wants the surgery. How do I tell him she can't? Shit. Shit._ "So what the hell? Let's do surgery!" Sae was decided. She wanted the surgery. _Fuck._

"What?"

"I'm in!"

_Shit._ "No but Mrs. Tallow, Sae, you're not a good candidate," Katniss tried to explain.

"Yeah I know but you said there were two procedures. Is one of the less risky?"

_You should just shut up Katniss. Tell him to talk to Haymitch._ "Yeah, the cardiac catheterization is less invasive." _Okay, there goes your big mouth._ "But you'd be at an increased risk for very severe complications."

"At least I'll go out swinging!" the old lady pushed. "Which is a whole lot better than sitting around on a couch waiting to die."

"How about I let you think about it?" Katniss offered. _How about you save me from the wrath that is Haymitch Abernathy?_

"I don't need to. I want at least a chance to see Calla graduate," Sae reasoned. "Like you said, it's big." _Learn to shut up next time, Katniss._

Katniss just smiled back not knowing what to say.

* * *

Katniss was on her way to the nurse's station when she crossed paths with Peeta. _He's avoiding me._ _Just act normal._ They smiled at each other but didn't say anything. _Left, go left._ And there started the awkward dance of deciding which way to go without bumping into each other. Katniss moved left and Peeta moved the same way. This went on for a few steps. _Duck!_ Katniss just snuck under Peeta's arm as he was pointing to where he was going. _Great way to make things more awkward._ She looked back to see Peeta scratching his head in confusion.

"Don't worry, it wasn't as bad as you think it was," Madge offered.

"Really?" Katniss asked not believing a word.

"No, I was just saying that to make you feel better." _Why are we friends again?_

_Okay, you need to diffuse the awkwardness._ "Peeta, wait!" Katniss ran back to talk to Peeta. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Yeah, yeah. Sure." _Stop being so awkward! I'm not going to jump you._

"So obviously things are a little bit awkward between us." Peeta nodded in agreement. "And before everything snowballs, I just wanted to see if we could just put what happened behind us and move on? Because I'm not dwelling." _Oh yes you are! _"I'm okay. I'm not upset with you or anything." _I'm more upset with myself actually._

"You sure?" Peeta asked sounding a bit skeptical. "That you're not upset with me."

"No, not at all!"

"Okay, that's a huge relief," he said looking away. "As long as this relationship can continue on your terms, right?" And he moved to walk past her. Katniss was suddenly confused.

"Wait. What?"

"You made some sweeping proclamation that you're in love with me!"

_What the fuck?_ "I would hardly call it a proclamation!"

"Katniss, we're friends. And co-workers. And now everytime I ask you to run a CBC I'm going to wonder if you're reading something into it!" _Wow, someone's so full of themself. This isn't the Peeta I know._

"Trust me! I'm not reading any… It's very clear that you don't like me."

"That's the thing, Katniss. I do like you. A lot." _Wait. I'm confused._ "You kept me sane in med school. And you are the person I could unload to. Laugh with."

"We could still do that!" Katniss reasoned. "I just… Look, I was just freaking out. And I was so nervous about the job and I think I attached all these significance to you because you were familiar. But the point is, you said no. And that's it."

"Yeah?" Peeta looked at her still unconvinced.

"Yeah. What did you think? I was going to pine over you forever? You are a cool guy but come on. I am moving on." Peeta just nodded. _He's buying it. Stop talking._ "In fact I already have another crush." _Crush, Katniss? What are you? Twelve? What is wrong with you?_

"On who?" Peeta challenged.

Katniss scanned the hall for someone. "Gale," she said when she saw her resident pass by. "I have a crush on Gale."

"You do?"

"Mmhmm," Katniss nodded.

"Ooookay then," he said giving her a smile. "I'll see you around then. Don't be a stranger." He saluted her with two fingers and walked away.

* * *

Katniss went up to the roof to take a call from her sister.

"You sounded so frantic on the phone," Prim said. "You've got to relax. What happened?"

"That is the worst thing to say to someone who can't relax because then you get all worked up about the fact that you can't relax and you start focusing on it which could get you even more worked up," Katniss babbled.

"Okay, okay. I get it. Are you going to tell me what happened?"

"I kept on telling myself to act hasn't been too successful. It's because the situation isn't normal. And I don't even know when it's ever going to be normal again between us. I keep replaying that stupid thing that I did over and over and over again. And then replaying all the moments that led up to it. Like the time he stared at me during lab. Or that time when we rented a house with our friends during med school and we just talked. All night long. Because that's the thing about Peeta and I. We can really talk. And he makes me laugh. I think it's because he has a way of looking at the world which is so different from the way that I look at the world. Which is probably why whenever I'm with him I feel like everything's going to be okay," Katniss said in one breath.

"Katniss," Prim said trying to stop her sister. "You can breathe, you know." They both just laughed. "And I totally get you. But how about letting it fizzle a little bit? Just don't let things get more awkward than it already is but let him think things through for a while," she suggested.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Because you know, maaaaybe the reason he's acting that way is because he really wanted to be the one to tell you first that he likes you and you sidetracked him and now he's trying to think. Know what I mean?"

Katniss knew Prim was just trying to boost her confidence. "Mmhmm," she reluctantly agreed. If she was being honest with herself, she was hoping for that exact same thing. "Okay, I'm gonna let you go now. I'll talk to you soon." They said their goodbyes and left Katniss in a better mood than earlier.


	7. Chapter 7

_Hey! So we get to see more of Gale here. And his mom. (Let's see if you have been paying attention. ;) )And that voicemail Madge has been pestering Katniss about. Some questions get answered and new ones come up. Also I just wanted to say that this is ultimately an Everlark story. We just need a little build up before getting there._

_Thank you so much for your reviews and your follows. Means a lot to me. xo_

* * *

Katniss quietly made her way to the lounge to see Gale there reading a newspaper. "Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said leaning on the door as she closed it. "Just tired."

"Nineteen hours into a twenty four hour shift, yeah. Tired makes sense," he said kindly. He pat the seat next to him to signal that she take it.

"I heard that Sae's cath went well," she said as she sat down.

"Yup!" he said popping the p. "Let's just hope that the stents don't re-clot. The next 24 hours are critical." He put down the newspaper he was reading, sat up straight and faced her. "Look, I don't remember if I ever thanked you for those labs for 501."

"You did. It's no big deal," she said.

"I should probably just tell you. This place is a rumor mill," he laughed humorlessly. "The woman in 501 is actually my mom."

_The woman in 501 has pancreatic cancer!_ "What?" Realization dawned on her.

"She has pancreatic cancer," he explained. "Which is why I've been a little on edge."

"Oh," she offered dumbly. "Gale, I'm so sorry." _Is that all you have to say?_

"Thanks," he said with a sad smile. "Anyway, she's starting chemo at 8 am. 5-FU, gemcitabine."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I am," he said unconvincingly. "I don't know why but I think she's going to be okay. Somebody's gotta beat the odds, right? So why can't it be my mom?"

Katniss just nodded dumbly when Delly barged in. "Oh!" she exclaimed in surprise when she saw the two talking. She slowly backed out of the room. "Let me just leave you two alone to get to know each other better." _What the hell was that?_

"Okay, I should explain what that was all about," Katniss offered.

"No, you really don't have to," Gale said laughing. _He's got a nice smile. I wish he'd smile more._

"Here's the thing," Katniss insisted. "This is embarrassing." _Well you offered, dumbass!_ "I like Peeta. Well, I more than like him. I've more than liked him all through med school and I thought that I should tell him because I'm an adult and a doctor and that's what doctor-adults do." _Doctor-adults? What?_ "And he rejected me. And I was… I am embarrassed," she admitted. "And I wanted him to think that I had moved on. So I told him that I liked you." _So much for confessions today, Katniss. Stop looking at me like that. Oh, that's a really nice stare._ "That's what that was all about. And I'm very sorry that I dragged you into this adolescent nightmare."

"You know what this means now?" Katniss shook her head. "I now have to spread a rumor that I shot you down," he said jokingly.

"I'm used to it."

* * *

_So sleepy._ Katniss made her way to the on-call room to take a short nap. Peeta was asleep on one of the beds so she took the one next to it. She lay down and stared at him.

_Looks like he's been here a while. Oh, Peeta. I'm so sorry I did this to us. I just wanted to tell you on the off chance that you liked me back. But there. You've made it clear. You don't. But I don't want to just be your friend. I want you. You and me. And I want you to go down on me for so long that you eventually have to evolve gills. What, Katniss? Really? Where did you get such a dirty mind? Ugh! I just want to scream at you to date me!_

Peeta's beeper pulled her out of her thoughts and she closed her eyes to pretend she was asleep. She heard him get up but didn't hear him walk towards the door. _What is he doing? Don't open your eyes! _Peeta took a deep breath and headed out the door.

* * *

Calla, Sae's granddaughter, was frantic. She was pacing up and down the waiting room until Katniss approached her. "Are you okay?" _You're too attached, Katniss!_

Calla faced her with arms crossed. "I thought you said my grandmother would never survive open heart surgery?" she asked. Her face was worried. And mad.

"Yeah but the stents re-clotted and now we have no other option," Katniss explained.

"Then why did you talk her into this?" _I talked him into this?_ "She wasn't going to do it and then she talked to you." _She was doing it for you, you ungrateful child! Wow. Back down, Katniss._ "And now this. This wasn't supposed to happen." She was crying now. "She could have had another year."

Since Dr. Abernathy was pissed off at Katniss for sneaking her way into Rue's surgery, she wasn't allowed in an OR for a while. She watched Sae's surgery from the viewing room. _Could this be my fault? Come on, Sae. You're a fighter. Don't give up_.

Katniss watched as Haymitch and Gale performed the operation.

"Dr. Hawthorne?" Haymitch called.

"The internal thoracic artery has been dissected and ready to go," Gale answered.

Haymitch reached over with a clamp. "And the aorta is clamped," he declared. "Cardioplegic, please." They waited until it was infused and watched as the heart slowed down. "We have asystole." The anesthesiologist confirmed that the old woman was on the bypass machine. "What do you know? The old woman is a fighter," Haymitch commented. _You can do this, Sae._

"Someone's got to beat the odds," Gale said.

"You did. You made it through your internship in one piece," Haymitch complimented. "Grafts?" he requested. And suddenly the heart monitor started beating erratically.

"LAD is 90% occluded!" Gale said trying to be calm.

"Retractor," Haymitch demanded. "I need loops now."

"Oxygen's dropping," the anesthesiologist said. The heart monitor kept on beeping.

"We're not perfusing here," Haymitch noticed. "What's going on?" _Please, Sae. For your granddaughter._ "The bypass has clotted. We need to clear this! We are losing him," Haymitch said starting to panic. _Come on, Sae. Stay with us. Don't cry, Katniss._

* * *

Gale came down to the cancer center to see Katniss looking over his mom's shoulder as they answered the crossword.

"Hey, you two!" Gale greeted.

"Hi!" they greeted back at the same time.

Gale looked at Katniss confused. "You were off two hours ago, why aren't you sleeping?"

"I wasn't tired," she explained. "And you told me your mom was starting chemo today and I knew you were in surgery. I just wanted to do something nice."

"You didn't tell me you were off!" Hazelle said. "But thank you, Katniss."

"I should be heading home though," she told Hazelle.

"Absolutely, sweetie," she said with a smile. "Thank you for the company."

"Sure, anytime," she said getting up. "Bye, Hazelle. Bye, Gale."

Katniss head up to the roof to get some air. She wanted to be alone to think but didn't want to drive with a bad mood. _Cancer patients in chemo. Sae's gone. Haymitch hates me. Peeta is Peeta. He can't even look at me anymore. _The door barging open pulled her out of her thoughts. _Oh, it's Peeta_.

Peeta was dialing on his phone before he noticed Katniss sitting there. "Sorry," he said. "Madge said there was good reception up here."

"It's okay, you can make a call."

"No it's cool," he said stepping back into the stairwell. "I'll come back." _Great. He's really awkward around you._

"Okay fine!" Katniss yelled. "I am not over you yet! Okay?" Peeta turned back around again to look at her. "But I'm trying very hard. And we're also both adults so until that happens, you have to man up and deal with it."

Peeta was stunned. He took a couple of steps closer to her. "Man up, huh?"

Katniss nodded. "Yes." She turned around to look at him. "Please." _And there's that smile._

"Fair enough," he said moving closer. Katniss let out a deep breath. Peeta shook off the awkwardness and sat beside her. "Katniss, what's going on?" he asked gently.

"I lost a patient today," she said trying to hold back tears. Peeta looked at her intently. "And I know that it's going to get easier and I know that it's only hitting me like this because it's the first time but it doesn't make me feel any better."

Peeta shook his head. "I don't think it will."

"What?"

"Get easier for you." Katniss scoffed as she wiped away her tears. _Such comforting words!_ "I think you'll get better at hiding it but I don't think it will get easier for you."

"Do me a favor and don't tell Haymitch that," she said trying to make light of the conversation.

Peeta wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against him. "You know, Katniss, you're a different kind of doctor than he is." Katniss leaned in closer. "But for my money, if I were sick, I'd want you," he said sweetly as he rested his cheek on the top of her head.

Katniss leaned back and sniffled. "You're supposed to make me like you less," she said. "Remember?" They both laughed.

"Right. Okay. Yeah. So, you know, suck it up then," he offered lamely. "Grow a pair?" Katniss laughed. _You always know how to make me feel better, Peeta._ "Better?" Katniss nodded as she continued laughing. "Oh!" Peeta said snapping his fingers. "That whole love speech thing, totally a proclamation!"

_WHAT?_ "It was not!" Katniss insisted. "It was more of, I think, an explanation."

"Huh! Not even close!" Peeta was laughing now.

"Declamation?" Katniss offered.

"All that heavy breathing you were doing!" Peeta tried to imitate Katniss. _Okay, we're slowly getting back to normal._

"There was no heavy breathing!"

"There was a lot of heavy breathing going on. Which I think is the very definition of a proclamation," he said as he bumped shoulders with her.

"Okay, fiiiine. It was a stupid procalamation," Katniss hesitantly settled. _This is good. We're making fun of what happened. We could moved past this._

Katniss lay down in bed trying to sleep. Her body was tired but her mind was overly active.

She remembered the time they went out to drink after the first year of med school. Peeta had danced with her until their feet were both ready to fall off. Until they were both dizzy from the lights and from the drinks. Until they sweated off all the sleepless nights and tears and heartaches that med school brought them the past year.

She rolled over to reach for her phone and went to her voicemail. _Madge was right. I saved that voicemail from two years ago! _She put the phone up to her ear to listen -

"Hey, I had a great time tonight. Of course I did. We always do. Right? I was actually thinking… I mean, what am I doing with these crazy girls? I should be with someone like you. Maybe we should date! I probably shouldn't have said that, right? Because we're friends? Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow."

_Ultimate proof!_

* * *

_Sooooo... what did you think?_


	8. Chapter 8

_Wow! That was overwhelming, I didn't expect all those comments. All of them made me smile. Was actually waiting for that person to say something again but s/he didn't so yeah. Nevermind. I will ignore it now._

_Extra long chapter to make up for the delay and to say thank you for your support! You guys are the sweetest._

_I just realized as I was doing this that Madge and Johanna (you'll meet her here if you recognize her) kind of switched personalities. Madge is kind of the snarky one in this story. But hey! AU, right? (Just like how Delly is a total bitch.) _

_Hope you like it. xo_

* * *

**CHAPTER 8**

_This is exactly what you need now in order to fall out of love with Peeta. A change in perspective. Instead of focusing on what's so great about him, focus on his flaws._

Katniss ran to the locker room. She was late – again. She got there just as Peeta took off his shirt to change into his scrubs. Katniss' eyes almost fell off their sockets. _Focus on his flaws. _"Hey!"

"Hey," he greeted back as he put on his scrubs. _Focus on his flaws. He's obviously one of those guys who's very sporty. Stop looking, Katniss. What a cliché. Wipe your drool, Katniss. A guy who's sporty. _"What time is it," Peeta asked.

Katniss looked at her watch. _Shit._ "7:58!"

"Why are we always late?" They laughed as they ran off for rounds.

* * *

Dr. Abernathy walked up to where they were all gathered. "Let's start things off a little differently today! Pop quiz." Everyone stoop us straight. _Game on!_ "Common contraindications to elective surgery in patient's with liver disease. Mellark?"

"Severe coagulopathy." _I taught you that! Good job!_

"Prothrombin time. Everdeen?"

"INR greater than 3 despite vitamin K administration." _You got this!_

"Vitamin K dependent clotting factors. Cartwright?"

"2, 7, 9, and 10."

"Coagulopathy and encephalopathy without known prior liver disease. Undersee?"

"Liver failure."

"Wrong. Mellark?"

"Acute liver failure."

The questions kept coming and coming until there was only Katniss and Delly left.

"Dr. Cartwright, what structures comprise the deep posterior compartment of the leg?" Dr. Abernathy asked.

Delly clasped her fingers together trying to think. She slowly recited the contents. "Tibialis posterior, perineal artery and vein, flexor digitorum longus, posterior tibial artery and vein, posterior tibial nerve, and flexor hallucis longus." She smiled in triumph.

_Do not let her psych you out. _"Pits, are you hot?" _Do not fall for it. Who cares if you're sweating? It's a natural human function. The body's way of regulating temperature. There's absolutely nothing - _"Dr. Everdeen!" Dr. Abernathy called her attention. Everyone was looking at her expectantly.

"Sorry," she snapped out of it. "Could you repeat the question?"

Haymitch raised an eyebrow at her and then faced Delly. "Congratulations, Dr. Cartwright. You will be assisting on the next gallbladder that walks in."

* * *

"Don't worry, he always picks on one of the interns. My first year was brutal," Gale commented.

"Really?" Katniss asked a little relieved. "He hated you too?"

Gale laughed. "No, she loved me. Hated Cressida! Poor girl," he recalled. "She's up in the psych ward."

"As a resident?"

"No, patient," he said seriously.

_WHAT?!_ Katniss laughed nervously. "You're kidding, right?"

"Oh, he is always kidding," an OB resident commented as she walked towards Gale and Katniss. "Dr. Hawthorne is our very own Patch Adams, isn't he?" she joked. "Here are your labs," she said handing a folder to Gale. "She is hypertensive but I need to keep those twins in there longer."

"Who's Patch Adams?" Gale asked with a sly smile.

"Like you've never seen the movie," she said with a raised brow. "With Robin Williams?

Katniss watched the two of them talk about a case and playfully banter with each other. _I think she likes him. She's cute. I've never seen her before though. Who is she? And I think Gale likes her too. They'd be so cute together._

"Thank you, Patch," she said as she walked away. Gale just stared at her as she did until Katniss nudged him.

"Patch Adams was a goober," he said. _Yeah! And you have that really goofy smile on your face._ "I am nothing like him."

"I think she's got a crush on you," Katniss said thoughtfully.

Gale smiled bashfully. _Oh, he thinks so too!_ "Don't stress about Dr. Abernathy. Just keep doing what you're doing," he said.

"Alright," she said as he walked away. "Patch."

Gale turned around. "Never call me that again," he said laughing. "I am your superior. That is direct order." They were both laughing now.

* * *

Madge and Katniss were partnered up to work on a case of a teenage girl, a gymnast, who fell off the balance beam and hit her head. She lost consciousness and had a seizure while being examined.

"Brain waves look normal so far," Katniss commented as they tested the girl for epilepsy.

"Can you imagine knowing at six years old what you wanted to be and then giving up everything to get there?" Madge asked disbelievingly.

"What did she give up anyway?" Katniss asked. "High school mean girls?"

"Know-it-all teachers?"

"Mathlete get-togethers?"

"You were not a mathlete!"

_Deny it! Deny it!_ "No," Katniss said dragging the o."Definitely wasn't."Madge was unconvinced. "Just saying. High school sucked."

"Said the straight girl to the lesbian."

"That is a good point."

"When did you know?" Katniss was curious.

"That I had blonde hair?" Madge asked flatly. Katniss laughed. "It's so interesting people always ask the gay girl when she knew she liked girls. No one ever asks the straight girl when she knew she liked boys!"

"I was nine," Katniss offered. "His name was Thom Gruber and I used to kiss this napkin that he forgot to throw out," she said. "Not in a weird way," she added defensively when she saw Madge's judging face. "You know I actually just friended him on Facebook and he accepted," Katniss continued as if it was an accomplishment. "So," she shrugged her shoulders. "We'll see where that leads."

Madge scoffed. "Nowhere." _Why is this girl so blunt? How about laying it down gently, Madge?_ "It's going to lead nowhere."

"Okay!" Katniss raised her hands in defeat. "You're probably right."

After a long awkward silence, Madge spoke up. "There's no aha! moment," she said. "You know from an early age that you're different. You start having these intense friendships with other girls and you think it's normal. All girls feel passionately about their best friends, right?" Katniss nodded. "Until your best friend starts dating a boy and you feel like your heart's going to explode." Katniss looked at her sadly. She didn't know what to say. "I definitely doesn't look like epilepsy," Madge said as she looked at the monitor to diffuse the tension.

* * *

Katniss was handed a chart as she started her shift at the emergency room. "Treatment in bay 1," the ER doctor directed. "Dispense and discharge. I need the bed." Katniss quickly went to find the girl she was supposed to treat.

"Hi," Katniss greeted as she looked through the chart for the girl's name. "Uh, Glimmer."

"Can I go yet?" she asked.

"I have to give you an injection to treat you for…" Katniss searched through the chart again. _High school girl with an STD. What are kids up to these days? _"Gonorrhea."

"I'm not a shot person," Glimmer said as she looked at her nails.

_Shallow little girl_. "Trust me, you're going to want this one," she said as she swabbed Glimmer's right arm with an alcohol prep pad. _Be a good doctor and explain to her what it is!_ "If left untreated, gonorrhea could lead to infertility…"

"Yeah! I read the brochure," the girl interrupted. "You're not allowed to tell my parents, right?" she asked worriedly as Katniss administered the shot.

"Yeah but I would urge you to tell any sexual partners that you have it so they can get tested. And you should really be using condoms."

Glimmer looked confused. "What are those?"

_IS SHE SERIOUS?_ "Condoms?"

"Yeah, I've never heard of them before," Glimmer said with a slight hint of sarcasm in her voice.

Katniss laughed flatly. "Use them," she instructed as she left the treatment area to fill out discharge paperwork.

"Sixteen year old with gonorrhea," she told Mags at the nurse's station. "And an attitude."

"Eighth girl from that high school to come in with it," Mags commented.

_EIGHT? With gonorrhea? _"Sounds like an outbreak. We should notify the department of public health," she suggested.

* * *

"I heard you instructed a nurse in the ER to alert the local authorities of an STD outbreak," Haymitch said to Katniss.

_Finally some recognition!_ Katniss nodded. "I treated a high school girl who was apparently the eighth…"

"And they're concerned," Haymitch interrupted. "And they've asked that we send a doctor to the school to talk to the girls about safe sex."

_Wow, very proactive! I like it!_ "I think that's a great idea!"

"Good! Because it's gonna be you."

_Wait. What? ME?_ "Dr. Abernathy, the things is I'm really not good at public speaking," she explained.

"Well, you got a day to get better."

"Right. But the thing is high school has never been a successful milieu for me so maybe you could ask someone else?"

"Are you refusing to do it?"_ Oh no. He's pissed again. _"Because that would be the wrong way to get back on the right foot."

Katniss took a deep breath. _He hates you!_ "Very much looking forward to it," she said in defeat. "Thank you for thinking of me."

* * *

_This is not going to be mortifying! You're a grown woman._ Katniss was nervous about giving that talk about safe sex. _It's going to be empowering. _

"Did you write a speech?" Peeta asked. _He knows me too well._

"Nah," she said. "Well, talking points."

"Gotcha! You nervous?"

"No!" she said unconvincingly. "How bad could it be?"

"Well, we tortured our sex ed teacher in high school," he shared. "Miss Lydia. We called her Miss Labia." _Another flaw! Insensitive. _"But I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. Your name doesn't really sound like anything funny." _He's completely insensitive. AND IT DOES! It sounds like cat piss._ "Look, if all else fails, you could teach them how to put a condom on a banana," he suggested. He smiled like he was joking but he handed her a banana anyway. _Completely immature. _"Want me to come with you? Keep you safe from all those mean high school girls?" _He's making fun of you!_

* * *

_ER? Not today! I'm not supposed to be there today._ "I'm not supposed to be down here," Katniss said to the ER doctor as she answered the page.

"Yeah," he agreed. "But here's the thing. The boy said that a group of girls from his high school ambushed him and that a Dr. Everdeen told them to do it."

"What?" Katniss was confused.

"Something about girl power?" he said pointing her to the direction of the boy and handing her the chart. _That is not what I meant by standing together and girl power. These kiiiiids!_

Katniss approached a bored looking teenage boy seated on one of the beds. His face was all bruised and, according to the chart, he had bruised ribs. "Hi Marvel," she greeted. "Let's get these cuts stitched up," she said pointing to his face. _They got you good!_

"Well you should, bitch," he said aggressively. "You were the one who told them to do this to me."

"I didn't tell them to jump you," she explained. "I just told them to protect themselves. And I would appreciate it if you didn't call me a bitch."

"Sorry. Doctor Bitch," he said petulantly as she started to stitch him up. _Stay professional. He's clearly a troubled young man. _"I can't believe a bunch of bitches took me down. What a joke."

Katniss took a deep breath. "Girls, not bitches," she reminded him.

Marvel looked at Katniss from head to foot. "You know what's clear to me? You're obviously all uptight because you never get laid." _Do not poke him with your needle._

"You know what's clear to me? A few of these girls hold you responsible for the gonorrhea outbreak."

Marvel puffed his chest. "Well I can't help it if the ladies want some of this."

_You will lose your license if you poke him with this needle._ "And you have a responsibility to yourself and others."

* * *

"I wanted to kill the little twerp myself," Katniss said as she finished telling Peeta about her encounter with Marvel over lunch. "And he refused to get tested for gonorrhea so obviously he's just going to keep spreading it around."

"What a little punk," Peeta commented as he finished the last of his sandwich. "Is he still down there?"

_What are you gonna do?_ "Yup! He's waiting for his parents. The girls smashed his phone so he asked me to call them but unfortunately I have been too busy to find the time." _But you're not really busy. You're just pissed._

"Nice!" Peeta held his hand up for a high five which Katniss reciprocated.

"I just wish we're aloud to tell his parents what he's done. Maybe you should talk to him. He obviously doesn't respect bitches," Katniss suggested.

"Yeah, if you think it would help. Sure." _Always my hero._

* * *

"It was okay," Delly said. Peeta was asking her about her gallbladder surgery. _Don't play humble. It doesn't suit you._

"Come on! There's got to be more than that!" Peeta insisted. _Don't give her your puppy dog eyes. Ugh! He did the puppy dog eyes. No one can resist that._

"We want details!" Madge added.

Madge was looking nervous. _Uh oh. Something's wrong._ "I choked," she confessed. _Really? She's admitting this to the three of us?_ "My hands shook and I choked," she said as she walked out of the lounge. _Look apologetic! Don't show her you're happy inside. Pretend you're not happy that she choked. Wow, Katniss? Since when have you been such a bitch?_ What Katniss did not expect was for Peeta to follow Delly. _What is happening? Since when have they been close?_

* * *

Katniss and Gale were finishing up paperwork when she saw the OB resident all dressed up and looking at Gale. "Looks like the flirting has turned into stalking," Katniss commented.

Gale looked behind and waved to the girl. "No, not stalking. Waiting. We're actually going out," he admitted. "On a date."

"Ah!" she said embarrassed. "Sorry, I didn't know."

"Well, we only just met Dr. Everdeen. You don't know everything about me," he said lightheartedly.

Katniss laughed. "Have a great time," she called out as he left.

* * *

Peeta and Katniss made their way to the ER to talk to Marvel. "What's up?" Peeta greeted.

"What? Are you trying to be cool or something?"

"No, I was just saying hi. I'm Dr. Mellark," he introduced himself.

"Yeah. When can I go home?" Marvel asked.

"As soon as your parents get here. Why don't you let me run an STD test really quick?"

Marvel made an annoyed face. "Pass."

"Really? What's the big deal?" Katniss interrupted.

"I could ask you the same question." _This child is unbelievable!_

"Look, if you've got an STD, we need to treat it," Peeta explained. "Otherwise you just keep spreading it around."

"No, I'm just trying to keep you in business, Doc."

"You know what you should try to do? Check your attitude," Peeta said starting to get pissed. "You should also wear a condom."

"This love don't need no glove."

"You think you're funny?" Peeta was mad now. He stepped forward as if to punch Marvel. "You're not funny. What you are is a little punk…" _Oh fuck. He's mad. Stop him!_

"Peeta! Stop it!" Katniss intervened.

Just in time, Marvel's mom came. "What is going on?"

"They won't leave me alone," Marvel complained. "And I got beat up, mom." _Wow, he's suddenly a good kid?_ "One of the girls, Glimmer, has been like stalking me." _Wait! That's not the story!_ "And I rejected her so she spread all these lies about me so her friends jumped me," he lied smoothly obviously to gain his mom's sympathy.

Peeta and Katniss looked at him incredulously. She gestured towards the door and mouthed, "Let's go."

"Meet me on the roof in five minutes," Peeta said in a low voice. _Okay, that sounds scary._

* * *

Katniss was so mad at Marvel that she went up to the roof to wait for Peeta and started to kick the pine cones that were scattered there. Peeta came up with a baseball bat in hand. "Okay, now I'm nervous," Katniss said eyeing the bat. _Is he going to kill me? _"Where did the bat come from?"

"My car," Peeta explained as he picked up one of the pine cones and started hitting them with the bat.

"Road rage much?"

"No, batting cages. When I'm pissed," he explained as he hit another pine cone. "I'm pissed." Peeta kept on hitting a pine cone one after the other as Katniss watched.

_Oh good. Another flaw. He's clearly got a temper. You hate guys with tempers. _

"Your turn," he said offering her the bat.

Katniss shook her head. _No way._ "Uh, no."

"Oh, come on Everdeen. Give it a try," he insisted. "It will make you feel better. Swear." _Don't smile at me like that. _Katniss reluctantly agreed and took the bat from him. "Don't hurt yourself."

Katniss picked up a pine cone and swung lamely.

"You got to choke up on the bat," he said. _What does that mean?_

"By choke up I assume you don't mean a constricted airway?" she asked sweetly.

"Okay, come here. I'll show you," he offered. Katniss took a deep breath. Peeta hesitated. "Unless it's going to be weird."

_I want to slap you! You're the one being weird!_ "I'm not going to faint or anything if that's what you're asking!" _What the fuck is wrong with this guy?_

"Fair enough." Peeta put his arms around Katniss and positioned her arms correctly as she held the bat with both hands. _Don't faint. _Peeta guided her hands to where they were supposed to be. _Focus on his flaws. _Katniss could feel his breath on the side of her neck. _Focus on his flaws. His immaturity. And temper. _"That's good. Now here comes the swing. Are you ready?" he asked before guiding her upper body the correct way. "Yeah?"

"Yup."

"Let's do another one." _His silly sportiness. His smell. Ugh. He smells good._ "Just one more."

"I think I've got it," Katniss said quickly. _Focus on his flaws._

"Okay. Have at it. Pretend one of those pine cones is Marvel's head. That idiot deserves more than a cut and a few bruised ribs." _Wow, he's definitely mad. I've never seen him like this._

* * *

Katniss made her way to the lounge only to see Peeta and Delly talking. _He's probably comforting her. But shit. Their faces are too close. And he's holding her hand!_ Katniss stepped back and headed back to the roof. _Air. I need air. He's full of flaws. And he's immature. And sometimes he talks like a frat boy. And he's three inches too tall. And here's another huge flaw! He rejected you! You poured out your heart and he rejected you. Don't cry, Katniss. It's not worth it. So just get over it already!_

* * *

Soooo... how did you find it? Peeta has to work hard for Katniss now.

I'll be back after finals. That's in 2 weeks. I hope you're patient enough to wait (because I'm sure I'd be so itchy to update but I'd have to focus) See you then! :D


	9. Chapter 9

_Aaw, you guuuys! Thanks for all the love - and yes, I know you guys are all like "hasn't it been 2 weeks yet?" but I take that as a compliment. Thank you for being patient and I am so sorry for the delay. I've been taking exams for God knows how long and that didn't allow me to make some time for this. So so sorry! Okay. That's that. Buuuut! My internship is starting soon and well, like Katniss in this story, I won't have time for anything else but the hospital. I will try, but I'm not promising, to post something every 2 weeks - 3 weeks, tops. Please don't get mad at me if it takes longer. I didn't realize it takes so much time to learn how to save people's lives._

_Again, thank you for still reading and reviewing. I check my email everyday and it makes me smile when I see a review. It's a little break from all the studying I've been doing._

_xo_

* * *

**Chapter 9**

An unusually free morning warranted a call from Prim. "Hey, sis!" Katniss greeted on the phone. "No class today?"

"I'm so tired," Prim complained. "So I decided to stay home and watch the lecture online instead." Prim was in med school and she wasn't struggling as hard as Katniss did. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing, really," she said unconvincingly.

Prim prodded. "What happened with Peeta?"

_What happened with Peeta? Peeta is making the moves on Delly! And this cannot happen! _"In ninth grade biology, we watched a video about the greatest predators of the animal kingdom – lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, bears," she started.

"Where is this going, Katniss?" Prim asked laughing.

"However, they left out the most dangerous of creatures. The Delly Cartwright," Katniss continued. "Back then, she was stalking Thom Gruber. The boy I liked." Prim was still laughing._ Okay, okay. I exaggerate things._ "To this day her hunting method has not changed. She begins with a technique I call the 'laugh and linger'. You know when the guy says something funny and she laughs, a fake laugh I might say, and touches his arm and just well, lingers there. Then comes the 'whisper come hither' when she leans in to whisper something to the guy's ear but leans in really close. Advancing to the 'cold little shiver' when she pretends she's cold so that the guy wraps his arms around her or offer her his jacket or something. Until she takes down her gazelle!" Prim snorted. "I saw Thom Gruber fall! She lured him in, ripped out his heart, and left it rotting behind the bleachers."

"Maybe you should be a writer," Prim joked. "Your imagination is too much."

"But Thom Gruber was never the same after that! And I won't let that happen again. Not to Peeta."

"How do you suppose you'd do that, Katniss?"

_Yeah, how will you do that, Katniss?_ "Well, Peeta invited me to go out with a run with them. So maybe I will."

"You do not run," Prim reminded her sister.

"For this I will. I need to keep them apart!"

"Oh, you're serious."

"Hell yeah I'm serious!"

* * *

"You alright, Katniss?" Peeta called out behind him. Him and Delly were running side by side. Katniss was lagging behind.

_Can't breathe. Legs hurt. Aaaahhh! _"Great!" she lied breathlessly.

They slowed down a little to let her catch up. Delly looked at her as she took her position between them. "I'm not gonna lie, Katniss, you don't look so great!"

"Oh come on, Delly. She said it's her first day back."

"From the dead?" Peeta and Delly laughed._ How can she still insult me while she's running? Isn't she tired? Breathless?_

"The important thing is that it's been a while since I've exercised but then I'm exercising now," she explained herself. _Breathe._

"Agreed!" Delly exclaimed. "Let's race to the end." And she took off. _Don't leave me, Peeta._

"Gut it out, Everdeen," Peeta said as he ran to catch up with Delly. _I hate running._

* * *

"I need two volunteers," Dr. Abernathy said as he gathered the interns for rounds. "Who wants some extra work?"

"I'm in," Delly volunteered quickly.

Peeta was about to volunteer but Katniss was faster. "Me too!"

"531," he pointed. "He needs a bypass. BP and heart rate are elevated. He's not responding to medication. Figure out what's going on," he explained as he handed over the chart. Delly quickly took it and proceeded to read it.

"You can't keep them apart forever," Madge whispered.

"No, not forever," Katniss whispered back. "Just until he realizes that she's a predator."

"Peeta can take care of himself."

"He won't see it coming! She's camouflaged as a regular person. Now go follow Abernathy. I'm going to see what Delly's up to."

She watched Madge run towards the group and she moved closer to Delly who was eyeing her suspiciously. "I know what you're up to," Delly said. _She knows? I must be that obvious!_ "Don't look so surprised. It's same reason I did. Look, we both want to be Haymitch's research assistant." _Oh, thaaaat!_ "But for the sake of our patient we need to work together as a team. This isn't a competition, okay?"

_Yeah, right!_ "Agreed!" Just then, her pager went off. "Do you know a Doctor Mason?"

"Go answer it," Delly said. "I'll go get started on the tests."

* * *

"Dr. Johanna Mason?" Katniss asked unsure if the lady with her back to her was Dr. Mason. She raised her hand to signal for her to wait but didn't face her. "I'm Dr. Everdeen," she introduced herself.

"Do you know how to do an ultrasound?" she asked still not looking.

"Yeah," Katniss said. "Theoretically."

Dr. Mason looked up to smile at her. _Oh! Gale's girlfriend. Huh. She's really pretty. _"Sorry about that," she said as she moved to stand up. "I spent half my medical career filling out paper work." Katniss smiled. _She's really pretty._ "Why are you smiling?"

"I'm excited for my first obstetrical patient," she explained.

"Word of advice, don't go into OB," she said gesturing for Katniss to follow her. "I thought it was going to be magical, the miracle of life, blah blah blah. It's just anxious women and husbands on BlackBerry's. We induce, nothing opens, so we slice and we scoop. When I get knocked up, I'm having a home birth." _Wow, she's a firecracker!_ Johanna handed her the chart, instructed her what to do, told her to page her when she's needed, and she walked away.

* * *

"Test results for Dr. Abernathy's extra credit assignment," Mags said handing her a folder.

"Thank you." Katniss looked at the contents. "Do you know where Dr. Cartwright is?"

"Up on the roof having lunch with Dr. Mellark," she said with a sad smile. _What does she know? The nurses seem to know everything that's going on in the hospital!_

Katniss rushed up to the roof to find Peeta and Delly having a pretty intense conversation over lunch.

"Test results!" she said holding up the folder. "Haymitch's patient. Thyroid's normal."

"What is it then?" Delly asked.

Peeta gathered the last of his lunch. "I'll leave you guys to it. I need to get back to the floor." He got up and kissed Delly on the cheek. _WHAT WAS THAT? Since when did he start kissing Delly's cheek?!_

"I'm thinking dehydration is what's making the blood pressure and heart rate spike," Katniss suggested.

"It's possible," Delly considered. "Hey, what was Peeta like in med school? Did he have any serious relationships?"

"No, total commitment phobe." _No he isn't! He's totally the commitment type!_ "Uh, insulinomia?"

"He's not hypoglycemic," Delly said. "I've never met a commitment phobe that didn't profess his love for me," Delly said with a smug smile on her face.

Katniss forced herself to laugh. "It would be pretty stupid though to start a relationship with another intern because then if it doesn't work out, which it probably won't, it would be pretty awkward, right?" _Stop it, Katniss._ "What about pheochromocytoma?" _Why am I doing all the thinking?_

"An adrenaline secreting tumor?" Delly was thinking hard about it. "Oh, I already asked Haymitch. He ruled it out. Mercury poisoning?"

"No skin involvement. No rashes." Katniss' pager beeped again. "I got to get this."

"It's fine. Let's get together in a hour to brainstorm. We'll figure it out."

* * *

Katniss was at the nurse's station filling up some paperwork when she heard Dr. Abernathy ask Delly, "You think my patient has pheochromocytoma?" _WHAT? That was my idea!_ "Interesting theory, Dr. Cartwright." _Yes, interesting theory, Dr. Cartwright! _"Schedule an abdominal CT, plasma fractionated metanephrine, and a nuclear scan of his head, throat, and abdomen. Find it."

Delly looked so proud of herself. "Hey! Pheochromocytoma was my idea," Katniss said petulantly.

"And this is not a competition." _Yeah right!_

"You said he ruled it out!"

"Because I mixed up the cases I was working on." _Mixed up my ass._ "It was an honest mistake." _Mistakes happen all the time. And let's be clear. That was no mistake._

"I'm not going to let her under my skin," Katniss said to Madge. "Because she is a bully. Always has been."

"If you cared," Madge said.

"Which, I don't!" Katniss insisted. Madge nodded unconvinced. "I know exactly who she is. Peeta doesn't. He thinks that she's funny and delightful."

"And ridiculously hot," Madge added. _Really?_

"He needs to see her evil core," Katniss decided. "The way she made Bonnie Peterson cry."

"Who is Bonnie Peterson?"

"This girl in our high school. Delly tortured her. Her back literally gave out from the stress."

"Why not just tell Peeta?"

"About Bonnie Peterson?" _Why would I do that?_

"Not to date Delly!"

"I can't. He'll think it's because I like him."

"Which you do."

"Yeah but that's beside the point. This has nothing to do with me." Madge raised an eyebrow at Katniss. "I'm trying to protect him."

Katniss was about to elaborate when she heard Delly offer a nurse that she be the one to take some labs to Peeta. "I gotta go," she told Madge and ran off.

* * *

Katniss leaned against the wall outside the room where Peeta was. She was trying to catch her breath when Delly came. "What are you doing here?"

_Breathe, Katniss. I swear, you are not made for running._ "I had a question for Peeta," she lied. "What are you doing here?"

"I have his path report," Delly said holding up a folder. "And you clearly just ran here," she said looking at Katniss' breathless form. "Why are you stalking us? Are you scared I'm gonna date your friend?"

_Yes!_ "No."

"You should be," Delly warned with a smug smile. "I'm going to date your friend."

"That's pretty confident."

"Not pretty confident," she said. "Pretty AND confident."

"Everything okay?" Peeta asked confused as to why the two girls where waiting for him.

"Yeah," they said at the same time.

"I picked up your path report," Delly said sweetly as she handed Peeta the folder. Peeta moved to take it from her but she held it back. "I might ask you a favor at some point." _STOP FLIRTING! Don't fall for it, Peeta._ Peeta just smiled and nodded.

"Hey, Delly! I treated a patient named Bonnie the other day." _This isn't a good idea, Katniss._ "And it reminded me of Bonnie Peterson. Do you remember her?"

"Yes," Delly said sadly. "I was just horrible to that girl. One of my biggest regrets. I felt so bad so I reached out and apologized a few years back." _Delly is capable of apologizing? She apologized to Bonnie? _"We're actually close friends now."_ Where's my apology?_ "I didn't see you at her wedding. Were you there?" But before Katniss could answer, "Oh, didn't you have a question for Peeta?"

"I did!" she said grabbing on to Peeta's arm. _Think! You didn't really have a question! _"What are other ways of locating pheochromocytoma?"

"For your extra credit report!" Katniss and Delly nodded.

"Exactly. They're usually found in the abdomen and we scanned the abdomen."

"Did you run a nuclear scan?"

"Yeah, nothing," Delly injected.

"I think I read something about uh what's it called?," Peeta stopped to think. "Uh selective venous sampling?"

_Yes!_ "Thank you! I'll get into it," Katniss said as she tried to walk away quickly.

"I'll come with you," Delly said following Katniss leaving Peeta confused. "This really isn't a two-person job."

"Yeah, you could have stayed behind."

"Great. You could get started on the cath and I'll tell Haymitch," Delly suggested.

"That's not gonna happen." But her pager went off. _Fuck._

"Shoot, bad luck," Delly said as she sauntered away.

* * *

Katniss was heading out to lunch when Peeta ran after her. "You got a second?" he asked pulling her aside.

"Sure, what's up? Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to talk to you about something." _Why do you look nervous?_ "I wasn't sure I was going to say something. It's actually kind of weird then I thought well if I don't say something that would be weird." _Ooookay, what is it? You're making me nervous!_ "So between the two options – weird and weird. I'm going to go with weird."

"What are you talking about?" _Please just don't let it be about Delly._

"It's about Delly." _No_. "The thing is the two of us have been uh, flirting? But I know you two have your own competitive thing. And after what you told me about how you feel, I just wanted to make sure you'd be okay if I asked her out."

Katniss just looked at him. _Just tell him the truth. It's not okay. Anyone but Delly. _Peeta looked at her expectantly. _Find a way to say it._ "Yeah, totally." _Liar!_

Peeta let out a relieved sigh. "Cool! I had to ask, right? Because our friendship is really important and I didn't want you to feel uncomfortable," Peeta explained.

"Uncomfortable? No."

"You're the best!" Peeta leaned in to give her a quick hug and continued off to do more important things.

_Miserable? Yes._


	10. Chapter 10

_Thank you guys for the really lovely reviews (abk1973, D12tributes4life, Mockingjay28, Kayla the hunger games fan,cris252, and 4 guests) and the follows and the favorites. Sending you all virtual hugs and kisses. _

_Just wanted to let you know that this is ultimately an Everlark story. I know it doesn't seem that way right now but we will get there. I got 3 reviews suggesting something along the lines of bringing some guy in to date Katniss and to make Peeta jealous. We'll see how it goes. I'm still trying to decide how to change up the storyline of the show this is based on so it doesn't get too predictable._

_So here it is. Chapter 10. See you again in (give or take) 2 weeks._

_xo_

* * *

**CHAPTER 10**

Madge was changing into a new pair of scrubs while Katniss was sulking in the locker room. "Patients need to warn you when they're about to projectile vomit all over you," Madge complained. "They also should not eat Chinese food directly following a procedure." She looked at Katniss' sulking form. "He asked you. You could have said no."

"How? That would have been so awkward! We're just getting back to being friends. Ugh! Why can't he just see Delly for who she really is?"

"Hot?" _Really, Madge?_

"No! Selfish!" Katniss pointed to Delly's sneakers on the floor. "Look! She's the kind of person who leaves her sneakers on the floor because she doesn't want to stink up her locker but she doesn't care about stinking up the entire room." _Stop exaggerating!_ "I leave my sneakers in my locker." Katniss made a show of opening her locker to prove her point. "Now my clothes smell but that's what you're supposed to do." Madge picked up Delly's sneakers and threw them out the window. "What are you doing?"

"Ending the conversation," Madge explained simply.

"Great. Now I have to go get them."

"Why? She's been a bitch to you since the fifth grade." _You have a point there, Madgey. _

"Yeah, you're right. Screw it! Screw her shoes," she said as she slammed shut her locker.

* * *

"Can you stand on those feet for the next four hours?" Gale asked Katniss as the exited a patient's room. The patient was 30 minutes into dialysis, went into hypotensive shock, and was now in a coma. Her kidney was failing and she needed a transplant.

"Yeah, why?" _Woot! I'm scrubbing in!_

"You're gonna make your first cut," he smiled proudly. _FIRST CUT? Not just observing? Woot!_

"You okay?" Gale asked as they were gowning.

Katniss took a deep breath. "Yeah, I just didn't expect it to be today," she admitted. "I thought I would know in advance so I would have some time to think about it."

"That's why I didn't tell you in advance. I knew the patient needed to have surgery. What I didn't expect that she'd go into shock today. But you were really on my mind the moment she decided to have a transplant."

"Are you implying that I overthink?"

"You're overthinking." _Well yes I am!_ "I'm nervous every single time I go in there," Gale admitted. "I think if you're not nervous then you're doing something wrong."

Katniss nodded and calmed herself as they approached the table. _You can do this. Just find your landmarks. Hands must feel gentle traction. Slice quickly. Straight line. Gentle pressure. Enough so you don't have to redo it but not too much or you'll slice into the peritoneum. _"Ready, Dr. Everdeen?" Gale asked.

Katniss nodded. Everyone was looking at her. _They look proud of you, Everdeen. You should be proud of yourself too._ "Ten blade," she asked. _Nice and firm. Your voice didn't shake. Good job, Katniss. Cut! Go cut! I made the cut! WOOHOO!_

"Continue," Gale instructed. "Sub-q."

"Electrocautery, please." _Steady hands. Breathe. Think clearly._

"Down to the fascia."

"Retraction. I'm through subcutaneous fat."

"Alright, keep going," Gale said over her shoulder. He spoke loud and proud now, "Peritoneum incised at 1445. Looking very confident, Dr. Everdeen. Bridging on ballsy, even."

"I've never been called ballsy in my life." _Milestone moment!_

"A day of firsts!"

* * *

"Lavinia," Delly called out to a redheaded nurse. "Can you page me and only me when the selective venous sampling results come back?"

"I already got it," Katniss interrupted waving the folder up for Delly to see.

"How do you have them? They're not due for another 2 hours?" _Gale taught me a trick to bribe the lab guys with Swiss Rolls, that's why._ "What do the results say?" Delly asked taking a peek. Katniss moved to close the folder. "He's my patient, too! Let me see."

"Would you have shown them to me?"

"No." _Thought so._

"So why should I show them to you?" _Ballsy!_

Delly's face dropped. "Because my hands shook." _Okay now I feel bad._ "I was in surgery and my hands shook and when Haymitch sees me now that's what he thinks. How I might not be cut out for this." _Oh shit._ "And I don't know what it is about you but I just get really insecure." _Is she crying? Shit she's crying._ "Whatever. It was wrong to take credit for your idea and I'm sorry." _Oh my gosh, she does that now? Ugh!_ "Can I have a tissue?" Katniss reached over to grab a tissue. _Did Delly Cartwright just apologize? To me?_ "Thanks. You should go ahead and take the results to Dr. Abernathy," she said as she left.

Katniss grabbed to folder to go find Dr. Abernathy only to find that it was empty inside. _Delly Cartwright! _"You are that threatened by me?"

"Grow up! This has nothing to do with you," Delly defended herself. "This is the real world and everything counts. Only one of us will be Haymitch's research assistant and you are just collateral damage."

* * *

Katniss ran after Peeta as he entered the on-call room. "Anyone but Delly!" she said angrily. "You asked how I felt about you dating her. That's how I feel. Date anyone in the world but Delly."

"Wait a minute," Peeta tried to interrupt.

"No, Peeta. She is awful! She always has been." _You're just too blind to see it._

"People change," Peeta reasoned.

"No, she hasn't. Just trust me. It's for your own good."

"Well, I don't need you to protect me. I can handle it."

"I can't handle it," Katniss admitted. "I just can't."

"This doesn't seem right. You can't tell me who to date." _Now you're mad?_

"You asked," she said softly.

"I was trying to be a good guy!"

_Then just choose me! _"Then be a good guy. Anyone but Delly." _Don't cry, Katniss._

Peeta took a deep breath._ Is that defeat? Is that frustration? He looks like he wants to hit someone. Ah! He might hit me with his baseball bat. Fuck._ "I'll think about it," he sad in a low voice as he exited the room.

* * *

"I hope you're not ignoring hospital protocol, Dr. Everdeen," Gale said as he approached Katniss who was sitting at the bar waiting for her drink. Katniss eyed him curiously. "Drink with your colleagues after your first cut," he explained as he gestured to the bartender for a drink. _I could totally do that!_

Haymitch approached the bar. _Oh, he goes to these things with the interns and the residents?_ "Gin and tonic," he said to the bartender. He faced Katniss and look at her seriously. "Heard you did well in the OR today, Dr. Everdeen."

Katniss looked stunned. "Yes, I did. Yeah." _Calm down, Katniss. _"Thank you."

"Good job, sweetheart," he said as he took his drink and left.

"Don't over think it. Cheers!" Gale said as they clunk their bottles together. "Johanna, over here!" he said over Katniss' head.

"Did he tell you about the tradition?" Johanna asked after she ordered a drink.

"What tradition? Isn't it this one?"

"I was just getting to that part."

Johanna handed her over the bill. "First cut pays first round." Johanna laughed. "Congratulations, Dr. Everdeen." Katniss regarded the bill suspiciously. "Let's go dancing," Johanna persuaded Gale.

"I don't dance."

"I've seen you," she insisted. Katniss was laughing.

"Not in public!" Katniss was laughing hysterically now as Johanna continued to force Gale into dancing with her.

"Go, go! Go dance and let me pay for that first round." Katniss looked at the bill completely. _Okay. You do not need heat this month. Wow, these people drink a lot. Is this really just the first round?_

Katniss was trying to think of ways to save more when she felt a finger poking her on her side. "Okay, I won't ask her out." _Oh, it's Peeta._ "You and I just got back on track and that's more important," he said as he bumped shoulders with Katniss. _Aaw, that's the sweetest._

"Thank you," she said sincerely. _When it's important enough, you speak up. So don't feel guilty about it._

"Just so you know, high school wasn't the greatest time for me either," he admitted.

"My house was covered in toilet paper once a week," she said.

Peeta almost choked on his beer. "You win!" They both laughed. "Okay, time to dance this off, Everdeen. You did great in the OR," he said as he led her to the dance floor.


End file.
